War in Ukraine hits supply chain, ICF to make rakes for Vande Bharat
ICF officers said the raw material sourcing would be completed and manufacturing of bogies would commence at the unit by end-July or in August.
CHENNAI: The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) would soon start manufacturing high-quality bogies required for the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains. Currently, ICF sources rakes (two per coach) comprising axle and forge wheel from war-torn Ukraine through vendors supplying electrical components.
It has been reliably learnt that ICF has commenced the works to manufacture the bogies domestically putting together various components at the ICF unit here. Highly placed ICF sources disclosed to DT Next that orders have been issued to source the raw materials required for in-house bogie production.
“Instead of relying on the electrical supplier, we have reached out to other vendors who could supply individual components. The components would be procured and assembled to facilitate the production of the bogies in-house at our facility,” added a highly placed ICF officer admitting how the war delayed the bogie supply that directly affected rolling out of Vande Bharat trains.
ICF officers said the raw material sourcing would be completed and manufacturing of bogies would commence at the unit by end-July or in August.
To begin with, ICF plans to produce enough bogies to meet the requirement of 10 Vande Bharat train sets. In-house production could be a shot in the arm for ICF as it would spare the premier coaching factory manufacturing the first indigenously developed trains capable of clocking 160 kmph without much delay even when contingencies like war or other deterrents affect supply.