India’s first bullet train and Vande Bharat bullet coaches: Where are they made?

Kanjikode: Heavy equipment makers Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) has grabbed the contract to build the country’s first bullet train amidst the privatisation processes initiated by the central government, citing incompetency, reports Manorama Online. BEML had earlier bagged the contract for building the Vande Bharat bullet coaches too. The public sector undertaking beat many foreign corporate giants in an international tender to grab the contract to construct the Mumbai – Ahmedabad high-speed bullet train, a first in India. Meanwhile, BEML management has promised the railways that they will hand over the coaches by 2026. 

BEML, which has four plants in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kolar fields, and Kanjikode, hasn’t made any official announcement regarding the site of construction. However, it is assumed that the Kanjikode plant, where lots of MEMU coaches and passenger coaches have been built, may be chosen for the bullet train construction. Meanwhile, BEML management is likely to reveal more details regarding this in the coming days. The railway has given the contract to build two bullet trains with eight coaches each. 

The bullet train that can accelerate up to 250 – 280 kilometres per hour will be built on an estimated budget of Rs 200 – 250 crore. Earlier, the central government had decided to import bullet train by paying an exorbitant sum. Meanwhile, BEML impressed by building world class coaches for the Vande Bharat sleeper trains for half the price, improving their chance for winning the big contract. It was last month that BEML handed over the Vande Bharat sleeper coaches that were designed and built at its Bengaluru plant to the Indian Railway. 

Besides, BEML has also grabbed the contract for building 210 metro coaches for the Chennai Metro Corporation, this month. The PSU won the contract worth Rs 3087 for the metro coaches by beating foreign companies at the international tender. In the financial year 2023 – 24, BEML achieved a return of Rs 4054 crore and a profit of Rs 283 crore. Despite this, the central government has been trying to privatise BEML accusing them of incompetency. Meanwhile, the employees’ indefinite protest against privatisation has crossed 1348 days.