Tender for 44 Vande Bharat trains cancelled month after Chinese JV emerges as contender
FirstpostNew Delhi: The railways said on Friday it has cancelled the tender for manufacturing 44 semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains, which was floated last year. Last month, when the tender was opened, a Chinese joint venture firm - CRRC Pioneer Electric Private Limited - had emerged as the only foreign player among the six contenders for the supply of electrical equipment and other items for the 44 train sets of 16 coaches each. Indian Railways’ Integral Coach Factory in Chennai had floated the tender for manufacturing 44 rakes or train sets of semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains on 10 July. Officials said going by the cost of manufacturing the first Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express, which was launched last year at an expense of Rs 100 crore, of which Rs 35 crore were for the propulsion system alone, the present tender for 44 such kits would be worth over Rs 1,500 crore.