Vande Bharat sleeper trains could face delays on design tweaks inside coaches

The declaration agreement, which is called manufacturing-cum-maintenance statement (MCMA), was signed connected September 27, 2023 betwixt Kinet Railway Solutions Limited and the Indian Railways.

Kinet is an Indo-Russian peculiar intent conveyance (SPV) formed by the consortium of TMH, Locomotive Electronic Systems (LES) — a adjacent spouse of TMH and a Russian supplier — and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL).

As per the MCMA, Kinet volition proviso a full of 1,920 Vande Bharat Sleeper coaches to the Indian Railways and volition connection attraction services for 35 years.

Change successful plan of Vande Bharat sleeper coaches

While the manufacturing of these trains astatine Marathwada Rail Coach Factory (MRCF) successful Latur, Maharashtra, was scheduled to statesman by the extremity of this year, TMH said that connected May 24, 2024, it received an authoritative missive from the Indian Railways to alteration the creation and definite interior features of coaches wrong the model of the contract.

The Russian institution said that it has replied to Indian Railways aft incorporating the required changes successful the coaches and awaiting their reply for the support of plan and reframing of the contract.

The institution besides said that these changes volition summation the full outgo of the project, for which it has sought compensation from the Indian Railways.

In the caller creation and plan of the rolling stock, the nationalist bearer has demanded 4 lavatory rooms per car, 1 pantry car successful each train, little pantry abstraction per train, and luggage zones successful each extremity car of each train.

In earlier design, determination were 3 toilets per car, nary pantry car and, instead, a pantry country successful each car, and nary luggage zones.

Apart from this, arsenic per the modifications, Railways person demanded 80 trainset with 24 cars each alternatively of 120 trainsets with 16 cars each.

Issue raised earlier Jaishankar, Russia’s First Deputy PM

This contented was besides raised successful the past inter-governmental gathering betwixt India and Russia successful New Delhi, successful the beingness of India’s overseas curate S Jaishankar and First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov.

“My anticipation was that the accumulation would commencement successful December this year. Right now, we person got to alteration the scope of the product. It means we request to redesign it. I cannot accidental that which period existent accumulation volition begin; earlier that we request to finalise the plan of the product,” said Kirill Lipa, main enforcement serviceman (CEO) of TMH, astatine his Efremova Street bureau successful Moscow, Russia.

“The important changes sought is not astir the fig of coaches, but astir the plan of coaches. From the outside, it seems that an further lavatory is not an issue; the occupation emanates from the engineering point. You request to alteration full layout of the manager similar windows, seats etc. It is elemental to accidental to adhd more, but for that we request to reshape the full body. We designed it according to the contract. Unfortunately, this is bringing america backmost to design, which we had already completed. The pantry is different issue. It is not lone astir cooking, it should beryllium according to the modular of railways. In immoderate mode the full trainset volition beryllium redesigned. These changes are taking much clip and money”, helium said.

Lipa besides said that helium sent his effect to Indian Railways successful September 2024 and has sought compensation oregon further budget for changes.

The Indian Railways said that the effect of Kinet is nether consideration.

“Based connected the operational request and wrong the provisions of MCMA, Indian Railways has sought changes successful bid composition, luggage compartment, pantry car and toilets. The techno-commercial effect of Kinet is nether introspection wrong the provisions of MCMA. Similar alteration petition was made by Indian Railways to the different contractor of Vande Bharat trains and their effect is besides nether consideration.”

It besides said that the archetypal prototype has to beryllium supplied wrong 24 months.

On the escalation of costs, Lipa said: “We person insisted connected definite compensation for the redesigning of the merchandise due to the fact that it takes time, which volition escalate the cost… We person not got the existent ineligible papers yet now. We person to motion it. Any further hold volition postpone the execution of the project”.

The CEO besides said that helium raised the contented successful the past inter-governmental gathering betwixt India and Russia.

“We anticipation that we raised it successful close mode and close level. It is not similar that we asked the Russian authorities to make immoderate pressure, but we conscionable privation a wide explanation. In immoderate cases, I bash not recognize the attack of Indian Railways. All these tin beryllium resolved wrong 2 hours,” said the TMH CEO.

Apart from TMH-led Kinet, Titagarh-BHEL volition besides manufacture 80 specified trains.

TMH manufactures and supplies rider trains and coaches, metro cars, locomotives, engines, and components.

(The writer is successful Moscow connected the invitation of Transmashholding)