Indian Railways cancels Rs 30,000-Cr deal with French firm for aluminium Vande Bharat trains: Report

The Indian Railways has cancelled its tender with the French multinational company Alstom for the manufacturing and maintenance of 100 aluminium-body Vande Bharat trains. According to an exclusive report by Moneycontrol.com, the Railways cancelled its Rs 30,000-crore tender with Alstom due to a disagreement over the price. Olivier Loison, Managing Director for the India cluster at Alstom, was quoted in the report in relation to the tender cancellation.

The Railways aimed to have the tender price set at Rs 140 crore per train, while Alstom sought to finalise the deal at Rs 145 crore per train. Alstom's bid was the lowest among the competitors, with a pricing of Rs 150.9 crore per train, whereas Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives submitted a bid of Rs 169 crore per train.

The aluminium-bodied trains are expected to reach speeds of up to 200 km per hour due to their lighter weight compared to stainless-steel counterparts. Currently, Vande Bharat Express trains are produced at an average cost of Rs 120 crore per train.