Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Project Delay: Russian Jt Venture Firm May be Penalised
By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Oct 7: With the Vande Bharat Sleeper train project repeatedly missing deadlines, the Indian Railways is contemplating imposition of penalties on Kinet, a joint venture between Russian rolling stock companies and India’s Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).
Kinet was expected to roll out the first prototype of the train using Russian technology in June this year but failed. The target timeline was extended to September, which too was missed.
Now it has been further extended to March 2027, said sources in the Railway Ministry.
According to sources, while Kinet is yet to fulfill certain conditions required to get the final approval for the project, Indian Railways is believed to have hardened its stand and refused to give any further relaxation.
There are issues over some components and sub components such as mini-pantry car, birth, ladder, traction, motor, converter, brake systems and other equipment essential for manufacturing 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper train with Russian technology.
Though Kinet had submitted proposals for each component, the Railways had made certain observations over these items and those issues are yet to be resolved.
Railways maintained that though Kinet has got the basic design approval long ago, it is yet to get other approvals essential for the train manufacturing and these unresolved issues are causing delay in execution.
“The project is already behind schedule. We are expecting the issues to be resolved within the extended timeframe otherwise we will have to take some harsh decision like invoking the penalty clause,” maintained a top-ranking railway officer.
However, Kinet is hopeful of resolving all issues without attracting penalty clauses and meeting the latest target.
“The prototype of Vande Bharat Sleeper train will definitely resolve all issues,” said a senior RVNL official.
The contract to manufacture 120 Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains has been given to Kinet Railway Solutions, a Joint Venture between Russian rolling stock major TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, the PSU of Indian Railways.
Under the contract, worth Rs 14,400 crore, Kinet has to manufacture Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains which will have 16 coaches.
With 120 trainsets planned, the project will involve production of 1,920 coaches in all.The Vande Bharat Sleeper train will have 823 berths in total.
Meanwhile, ICF Chennai is gearing up to roll out the second Vande Bharat Sleeper shortly after the first one is running successfully between Kamakhyanag
ar and Howrah.
