21 August :The Defence Public Sector Undertaking BEML Ltd has taken initiatives to Design and Develop Low Cost Metro Cars for the first time in the country. These metro cars will be suitable for the Indian market at a target price much less compared to the present cost based on imported technology almost around Rs. five crore.
The reduction in cost is planned to be achieved through in-house R&D efforts and by using indigenous make stainless steel material and other aggregates. This will help the tier II cities to implement the Mass Rapid Transportation System at an affordable cost.
Mass Rapid Transportation System has become a necessity in all cities in the country to overcome the traffic congestion and to reduce environmental pollution. Delhi Metro has become a success story and other cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad are following the suit. The tier II cities are also feeling the need for implementing similar system. BEML has supplied Broad Gauge Metro Cars for Delhi Metro and has also bagged the order for Standard Gauge Cars for their RS-3 project. BEML having mastered the nuances of Metro Car manufacturing technology, has received an order from DMRC worth Rs. 52 crore for indigenous Design and Development of eight cars to upgrade the existing four car train formation to six car train formation, which will increase the passenger capacity from 1506 to 2290. On completion of the project of eight cars successfully, BEML hopes to bag further orders from DMRC