BHEL Begins Supply of Traction Equipment for Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Project

New Delhi: State-owned engineering major Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has taken another major step in strengthening India’s rail manufacturing ecosystem by beginning the supply of semi-high-speed underslung traction transformers for the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper Train project.

The first batch of equipment was flagged off from BHEL’s Jhansi facility on Wednesday, marking the company’s formal entry into the semi-high-speed propulsion segment. The equipment will be transported to Kolkata, where final assembly of the sleeper train coaches is underway.

Senior BHEL leadership, including Director (IS&P) Bani Varma and Director (Engineering & R&D) S. M. Ramanathan, participated in the flag-off event, which was conducted virtually. The development follows the earlier dispatch of traction converters from BHEL’s Bengaluru unit for the same project.

The new propulsion system is designed for operational speeds of 160 kmph with a design capability of 180 kmph, significantly enhancing the performance profile of India’s next generation long-distance passenger trains. Additionally, BHEL’s Bhopal unit has successfully developed and manufactured traction motors for the project, completing a major portion of the propulsion package domestically.

In a parallel development, BHEL’s Jhansi plant has also secured a fresh order for Rail Borne Maintenance Vehicles (RBMVs) — specialized machines used for track construction, inspection, and maintenance. These vehicles, to be manufactured entirely in India, will improve railway safety, reduce manual dependency, and extend asset life through precision-based maintenance.

The latest milestones reinforce BHEL’s expanding role in India’s rail modernisation drive and align closely with the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.