BHEL inks MoU with SwissRapide AG to bring Maglev high-speed trains to India

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on 16th September 2020 announced its tie-up with SwissRapide AG to bring Maglev trains to India.

With the aim to expand its footprint in the urban transportation sector as part of its diversification initiatives, BHEL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SwissRapide AG for Maglev Train projects in India. 

The agreement was signed by S V Srinivasan, GM & Head (Transportation Business Group), BHEL and Niklaus H Koenig, President and CEO, SwissRapide AG in the backdrop of the 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives of the Government of India. It will enable BHEL to bring the latest, world-class technology to India and manufacture state-of-the-art Maglev trains indigenously.

"The MoU sets out the foundation to cooperate and explore mutually beneficial business opportunities, and to utilize both the companies' inherent capabilities, skills, knowledge, and assets, with respect to the scope of Maglev Train projects in India," said in the statement issued by the company.

What is the Maglev Rail?

The Maglev Rail system hovers in the air instead of rolling, due to magnetic levitation, thus the vehicles have no physical contact with the guideway. This enables the system to be highly energy-efficient, allows operating speeds of easily up to 500 km/h, and significantly reduces the total cost of system ownership.

Maglev Trains in India

On 4th August 2016, the Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, Government of India issued a Call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the delivery of Maglev Train technology, with the aim to launch an Ultra-Highspeed Maglev Rail project in the country.

In the four projects foreseen by the Ministry of Railways for Ultra-Highspeed Maglev systems, the following routes were proposed with the estimated travel times for the InterCity connections, including stops at major cities between the two end stations:

• Bengaluru – Chennai (335 km):            55 minutes

• Hyderabad – Chennai (630) km:           110 minutes

• New Delhi – Chandigarh: (260 km):      40 minutes

• Nagpur – Mumbai (815 km):                 130 minutes

SwissRapide AG is a Swiss company specialized in the promotion, project management, planning, specification, design, implementation, and commissioning of international Maglev Rail projects and related technologies. The company holds the unique position of offering Transrapid Maglev technology, the only established and commercially proven ultra-high-speed Maglev Rail system in the world. 

BHEL has been pioneering new technologies and has been a reliable partner in the growth of Indian Railways for over five decades by supplying electric as well as diesel locomotives, EMUs (electrical multiple units), and propulsion system set and drives for the same.

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