For Vande Bharat, Tata Steel to introduce a seating system that will be "First in India" and spend Rs3,000 crore on R-;D

1 Aug 2022 , 09:08 AM

According to news reports, Tata Group is preparing to introduce the “First in India” seating system for Vande Bharat Express trains starting in September 2022 and plans to invest Rs3,000 crore in R&D by FY26.

By 2030, the conglomerate hopes to rank among the top 5 technological corporations worldwide in the steel segment.

The Vande Bharat Express has placed a large order for Rs145 crore with Tata Steel’s Composites business for seating systems. This order calls for the provision of full seating systems for 22 train sets, each consisting of 16 coaches.

“These seats have been carefully created, can swivel 180 degrees, and feature conveniences similar to those seen in airplanes. This “first-in-India” supply would be carried out over a 12-month period beginning in September 2022 “According to Debashish Bhattacharjee, Vice President of Tata Steel’s Technology and New Materials Business, PTI.

FRP will be used in the chairs because of its increased corrosion resistance and reduced maintenance requirements. Additionally, it will meet the European requirement for fire-retardant construction and improve passenger safety and comfort.

The second-fastest train in India, the Vande Bharat Express, popularly known as Train 18, travels at a 130 km/hr top speed.

According to the management, one of the main factors for gaining technological leadership is a speedy conversion of ideas into pilot testing and commercialization. The company desires to be among the “Top 5 in technology in the steel sector globally by 2030.”

The goal of the New Materials Business was to investigate possibilities in materials other than steel. NMB just finished its fourth year of operations. The company presently has three material verticals: medical materials and devices, graphene, and composites.

The three market sectors targeted by Tata Steel’s composites division are railroads, infrastructure, and industrial.