MRVC is seeking international offers to buy 238 Vande Metro trains for Mumbai's suburban network

22 Jun 2023 , 12:35 PM

According to news reports, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) released an international tender on Wednesday for the purchase of 2,856 coaches of Vande Metro trains for Mumbai’s suburban network. 

They claimed that this was a component of the extensive Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). 

According to a senior MRVC official who talked to ET, bids for the purchase of 2,856 coaches—equivalent to 238 trains with a 12-coach composition—have been requested under MUTP Phase-3 and 3A projects, which are valued at Rs 10,947 crore and Rs 33,690 crore, respectively.

The official cited the tender document when stating that in addition to purchasing and maintaining Vande Metro rakes for their entire lifespan, the winning bidder would also be required to build new repair depots for Vande Metro and enhance the current maintenance facilities. 

The Railway Board, the Indian railways’ policy-making body, had approved the purchase of 238 Vande Metro rakes for the suburban railway network of Mumbai in May 2023 when the MRVC announced this tender.

The selected bidders will be required to build additional carsheds in Vangaon (Palghar district) and Bhivpuri (Raigad district) as well as supply the air-conditioned Vande Metro within seven years, according to the tender document posted on MRVC’s website, the official added.

The bidder will also be required to handle the thorough annual maintenance of the trains and the maintenance depot for 35 years. The official said that a two-year period has been considered for manufacturing prototype Vande Metro trains and a further five-year period for the supply of average 50 trains every year. The railway and state government will carry out a number of infrastructure projects under the MUTP-3 and 3A projects to increase the capacity of Mumbai’s suburban network.

According to reports, the trains will have luggage compartments or separate AC vendors at each end, separated from the AC air circulation vents to prevent inconvenience for commuters riding in other coaches due to the scent of things like fish. The passenger seating configuration of these trains will be the same as in the current electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, however, instead of the current stainless steel chairs on AC trains, new trains will be equipped with modular ergonomic cushioned seats.

According to the current plan, the coaches will be set aside for women, people with disabilities, older persons, etc., the official said, adding that the trains will also have energy-efficient LED lights and emergency lights.

The Vande Metro trains would have a body made of stainless steel or an aluminium alloy with a design life of 35 years, a top operational speed of 130 kmph, and cutting-edge traction technology for greater energy efficiency.

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