Bengaluru to produce India’s first high-speed 250 kmph bullet train: Report

In a fresh development, Bengaluru is set to produce the country’s first high-speed train, set to operate at 250 km/h, to serve the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor.
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) on September 5 announced a tender to manufacture two high-speed chair-car trains, capable of reaching a top speed of 280 km/h. Bids were due by September 19, and BEML was the only company to submit a proposal for the two eight-car train sets, the Moneycontrol reported.
U Subba Rao, ICF’s general manager, spoke to reporters on the matter and stated that the tender process would conclude soon. The trains will be built at BEML’s Bengaluru facility, with an expected production timeline of two and a half years.
While the exact cost of the trains hasn’t been revealed yet, estimates range from ₹200 crore to ₹250 crore each, the report noted. These trains will serve the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, which spans 508 kilometres and will cost about ₹1.1 lakh crore.
Originally, Japanese trains were planned for this route, but high costs prompted a shift to domestic production. BEML and another organisation called Medha Servo Drives are expected to collaborate on the project to ensure that the trains meet European standards, the publication stated. Medha will develop a propulsion system for speeds up to 250 km/h, while BEML will focus on the structural integrity needed for such velocities. Medha’s propulsion technology is already used in the Vande Bharat trains, an official said, as quoted in the report.
The first train, set to operate at 250 km/h, is projected to be completed by December 2026, with trials planned for the Surat-Bilimora section. Designed with seven cars in a 3 + 2 seating layout and one executive car in a 2 + 2 arrangement, it will have a seating capacity of around 174 passengers, with future expansions possible based on demand, it added.