Titagarh Rail and BHEL inaugurate production line for Vande Bharat sleeper trains in Uttarpara

Titagarh Rail Systems, in collaboration with BHEL, has opened a dedicated production line in Kolkata to produce India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains, boosting the country’s Make in India initiative.

Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), in partnership with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), opens a dedicated production line for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains at TRSL’s cutting-edge manufacturing plant in Uttarpara, Kolkata, West Bengal.  Senior executives from TRSL and BHEL, including Umesh Chowdhary, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of TRSL, and Bani Varma, Director of BHEL, launched the production line.

TRSL established the production line after being awarded a contract by Indian Railways to design and produce 80 Vande Bharat Sleeper train sets as part of a consortium with BHEL.  With a total cost of roughly INR 24000 crore, including 35 years of maintenance, the project is one of the major efforts being implemented under our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat objectives.

The sleeper form of the Vande Bharat will be India’s first long-distance, semi-high-speed train, with a totally indigenous design, improved passenger comfort, and cutting-edge safety systems.  With a modern coach layout, smart onboard systems, and energy-efficient operations, the train provides a transformational experience for intercity travel across India.

Speaking about the inauguration of the production line, Umesh Chowdhary, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Titagarh Rail Systems, says, “This is a proud moment for the Titagarh Rail Systems-BHEL teams. The Vande Bharat Sleeper project is a shining example of what can be achieved when the public and private sectors come together with a shared vision and strive towards a truly Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This production line reflects our commitment to building future-ready mobility solutions and contributing meaningfully to the vision of a more connected and self-reliant India.”

With production currently beginning at the Uttarpara factory, the prototype Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are projected to be available within the next calendar year, ushering in a new age of faster, smarter, and proudly Made-in-India rail travel. The Uttarpara facility is a key component of this vision.  With Industry 4.0 technologies and robotic production lines, it marks a substantial advancement in India’s rail manufacturing capacity.  As the only plant in the country capable of producing both stainless steel and aluminium coaches under one roof, it now has an annual capacity of 300 coaches, which is being increased to 850 to satisfy growing demand.

Titagarh Rail Systems Limited is a prominent provider of integrated transportation solutions.  The firm designs and manufactures a diverse range of world-class rolling stock, including semi-high-speed trains, urban metros, passenger coaches and specialised goods waggons.

For more information, visit: https://www.titagarh.in/