Ramkrishna Forgings Limited and Titagarh Wagons Limited have emerged as the Lowest Bidder (L1) for manufacturing and supplying forged wheels for the Indian Railways under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. The consortium will supply approximately 1.6 million wheel discs of different rolling stocks of Indian Railways over a period of 20 years at about 80,000 wheels per annum. The tender aims to reduce the Indian Railway’s import dependence by inviting the industry to set up a facility to produce these wheels, which will primarily be used for Vande Bharat semi-high-speed trains and high-speed bullet trains.
Ramkrishna Forgings and Titagarh Wagons will set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in India for forged wheel production and will be required to set up a wheel test centre at a railway site for prototype testing of newly designed wheels. The partnership between the two companies is a strategic move towards expanding their presence in the railway segment and contributing to the Atma Nirbhar program of the Government of India. The consortium is expected to deliver world-class products and services to the Indian Railways, said the company’s representatives.
The Hon’ble Union Minister, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, recently announced a tender with the aim of reducing the Indian Railway’s reliance on imports. The tender invites the industry to establish a facility for producing wheels that will be primarily used for semi-high-speed trains (Vande Bharat) and high-speed trains (bullet trains). The Indian Railways has been actively pursuing growth with a focus on the Make in India policy under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative of the Government. The selected bidder, the Consortium of Ramkrishna Forgings and Titagarh Wagons, will be required to establish a wheel test centre at a railway site for prototype testing of newly designed wheels.
The Consortium will establish a cutting-edge manufacturing facility in India for forged wheel production and will supply around 1.6 million wheel discs from different rolling stocks of Indian Railways over a 20-year period, amounting to approximately 80,000 wheels per annum. According to Naresh Jalan, the Managing Director of Ramkrishna Forgings Limited, the company is thrilled to have been declared the Lowest Bidder for the production and delivery of forged wheels for the Indian Railways. Jalan stated that this accomplishment is a testament to their exceptional technical capabilities and dedication to providing top-notch products to customers. Additionally, Jalan expressed enthusiasm about their strategic partnership with Titagarh Wagons Limited and is confident that their combined efforts will lead to the delivery of outstanding products and services to the Indian Railways.
Umesh Chowdhary, the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Titagarh Wagons Limited, expressed his excitement about the consortium’s bid being selected as the L1 bidder for the manufacturing and supply of forged wheels for the Indian Railways. He highlighted that as a leading supplier of Passenger & Freight Rolling Stock to the Indian Railways, they are thrilled for this opportunity to expand their capabilities in the railway rolling stock segment and supply forged wheels. He also emphasized the importance of the partnership with Ramkrishna Forgings Limited and their joint efforts in contributing to the growth of the Indian Railways and leveraging their synergies to increase their participation in the “Atma Nirbhar” program of the Government of India.
Ramkrishna Forgings Limited was founded in 1981 with the aim of producing forged products. With the addition of new machinery, including a Hollow Spindle Line, a 7000 Ton Press Line, a 2000 Ton warm/hot Forming Press, and a fabrication facility, the company’s annualized installed capacity now stands at 187,100 MT. The company is based in Kolkata and has advanced manufacturing facilities in Jamshedpur, as well as offices in Detroit (USA), Toluca and Monterrey (Mexico), and Istanbul (Turkey), with warehousing facilities in Hagerstown, Louisville, Detroit (USA), Toluca, Monterrey (Mexico), and Westerloo (Belgium).
Titagarh Wagons Limited (TWL) provides mobility solutions to billions with its significant presence in both Passenger and Freight Rolling Stock. TWL is the largest private-sector manufacturer of Wagons and a well-established player in railway coaches (EMUs, MEMUs). Recently, the company secured the largest-ever order for Wagons from Indian Railways and is currently executing an order for 104 Metro Coaches for the Pune Metro, with aluminium body coaches manufactured at its state-of-the-art facilities in Uttarpara, West Bengal, using designs developed in collaboration with its Italian venture. Propulsion & Train Electricals, Metallic Bridges, Shipbuilding, and products for the country’s Defense establishment are other business segments of Titagarh.
