BEML Limited, a public sector unit, will manufacture an indigenous high-speed train for a total contract value of ₹866.87 crore. 

“This project marks a significant milestone in India’s high-speed rail journey and will see the first indigenously designed and manufactured train sets with a test speed of 280 kmph,” the BEML has stated.

In a statement to stock exchanges, the BEML stated that the company has been awarded the contract for design, manufacturing, and commissioning of two high-speed train sets, each comprising eight coaches or cars by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. The ICF is a production unit of the Indian Railways. 

The BEML has said that the price of each coach is ₹27.86 crore. The total contract value is ₹866.87 crore, which includes the design cost, a one-time development cost, non-recurring charges, a one- time cost towards fixtures, tooling and testing facilities, which will be utilised for all future high-speed projects in India. 

The development comes close on the heels of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s visit to Japan with a senior delegation to negotiate issues related to escalation to costs of Shinkansen technology for operationalising bullet trains in India along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. The Shinkansen bullet trains can run at a maximum speed of 320 kmph. 

Sources said that a conclusion on negotiating costs to deploy Shinkansen train sets and signalling systems has not been reached yet. 

While Shinkansen technology train sets are estimated to cost over ₹46 crore, BEML coaches are priced at much lower costs. The train sets will be built at the BEML’s Bengaluru rail coach complex and are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026.

“Featuring a fully air-conditioned chair car configuration, the trains will offer modern passenger amenities such as reclining and rotatable seats, special provisions for passengers with restricted mobility, and onboard infotainment systems,” the BEML has stated.