Umesh Chowdhary, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, revealed that the company previously depended on importing flat packs and sub-assemblies for aluminium coaches from Italy’s Firema. However, over the past year, Titagarh imported all the necessary machinery to manufacture these flat packs domestically.
“By FY27 and early FY28, we will be fully Atmanirbhar to produce aluminium coaches starting from raw materials or extrusion onwards,” Chowdhary stated.
He also highlighted that this expertise positions Titagarh to explore opportunities in the high-speed rail segment, as aluminium coaches are a global standard for high-speed trains. Chowdhary added, “This will enable us to be fully integrated manufacturers of both aluminium and stainless steel coaches, preparing us for the next challenge in Indian infrastructure, high-speed trains.”
Regarding Indian Railways’ plans, in a Lok Sabha written reply on March 16, 2022, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed plans to procure 400 next-generation Vande Bharat trainsets. These trainsets will include energy-efficient aluminium body coaches to enhance passenger experience and energy savings, wherever feasible.
