MUMBAI: A national high-speed train procured by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) in 2010 which failed during its trial run has been rusting in the Western Railway (WR) car-shed ever since. The train was expected to run at 130 kmph but could not match the speed. The MRVC had procured 18 bogies from Siemens for the nine-coach train, which was manufactured by the Indian Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai. The MRVC has recovered the bank guarantee and cash worth Rs 15 crore from Siemens.
The MRVC floated a tender to procure the 108 bogies from Siemens. In the first phase, the MRVC procured 18 bogies in 2010 and sent to ICF Chennai for manufacturing the high-peed train. The train was tested twice but did not match the speed and specifications of the contract. The train is currently stationed in the Virar car-shed.
According to an MRVC officer, “The trial was conducted in 2012-13. Due to technical reasons, the train didn’t match the speed prescribed in the contract, hence the contract of 108 bogies, including 18 bogies, worth Rs 60 crore has been terminated with Siemens.”
“The MRVC paid Rs 15 crore to Siemens for procuring 18 bog-ies. In addition to this, equipment items of the train worth Rs 4 crore that were required for commissioning the bogies, were given to Siemens,” he said.
RTI activist Samir Zaveri, obtained this information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He claimed, “The railway should put this train into service with normal speed instead of letting it rust.”
When contacted, R.S. Khurana, chairman and managing director of MRVC, said, “Whatever the payment was made to Siemens has been recovered from the bank guarantee and payment made by Siemens.”
