Chennai, 16 August (H.S.) : The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai is set to manufacture 30 mixed Amrit Bharat trains with both AC and non-AC coaches in the financial year 2025-26. This marks a departure from the factory's earlier practice of producing only non-AC versions of the Amrit Bharat trains. According to General Manager U Subba Rao, the factory will also produce 21 Amrit Bharat trains this year and 25 in the next financial year.

In addition to the hybrid Amrit Bharat trains, the ICF will also manufacture nine rakes of the Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets. The factory has already made significant progress in the current fiscal year, producing a record 3,007 coaches, including 1,168 distributed power rolling stock (DPRS) coaches and 23 Vande Bharat Chair Car trainsets. Two of these trainsets have been specially designed for the Jammu and Kashmir region.

The ICF is also working on other projects, including the Gati Shakti Freight EMU, a semi-high-speed train designed for e-commerce and FMCG logistics. The train will be equipped with advanced container handling systems and crew amenities. The prototype 16-coach Vande Bharat sleeper has completed oscillation trials, and the hydrogen trainset has passed load tests and is expected to be rolled out soon.

The introduction of hybrid Amrit Bharat trains is expected to improve travel comfort for the common man, offering a mix of air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned coaches to cater to diverse passenger needs. With its focus on innovation and customer comfort, the ICF is set to continue playing a vital role in shaping the future of Indian Railways.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary