INDIA: A Russian-backed consortium led by Transmashholding expects to begin producing Vande Bharat inter-city trainsets soon.
Kinet Railway Solutions was formed in September 2023 as a joint venture between state-owned project company Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (which holds a 25% equity stake) and TMH subsidiaries Metrowagonmash and Locomotive Electronic Systems with 70% and 5% respectively.
Kinet is currently focused on setting up assembly facilities to support the production of third-generation Vande Bharat trainsets for overnight services. An initial fleet of 120 16-car trainsets was ordered by the Ministry of Railways in 2023, under a Rs580bn deal which envisages significant investment in production and maintenance facilities.
The consortium took over operational control of IR’s Marathwada Rail Coach Factory at Latur in Maharashtra at the end of June 2024, following a formal dedication of the plant by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12. The facility had been developed by RNVL with an initial capacity of 250 vehicles/year and began production of LHB coaches and multiple-unit vehicles in December 2020.
The plant is now being expanded and re-equipped for its new role, including the installation of a modern assembly line with bodyshell assembly stations, storage, assembly, testing bays and a paint shop. Production of the Vande Bharat vehicles is set to commence in the coming weeks, with the first prototypes due to be rolled out within 24 months.
As well as the manufacturing of 1 920 sleeper coaches for operation at up to 200 km/h, the contract includes maintenance of the completed trains for 35 years, for which Kinet aims to redevelop three depots across the IR network.
However, funding for refitting the assembly plant is still to be finalised. TMH Chief Executive Kirill Lipa told local media in November that the total working capital needed to fund the upfront investment at Latur exceeded US$150m, but Kinet would only begin earning any income once the first batch of prototypes had been delivered to IR.
