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The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai has floated a tender for the manufacture and supply of 600 fully built Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches.

The tender floated on April 29 has invited bids for 400 LHB General Second Class coaches and 200 LHB Sleeper Class coaches.

The selected firm must deliver prototype shells and coaches within six months of receiving the Letter of Acceptance (LoA). The estimated cost is around Rs 2 crore per coach, amounting to around Rs 1,200 crore for all 600 coaches.

“A phased supply plan includes 50 coaches per month for the first three months and 75 coaches per month thereafter, with the final deadline set for September 30, 2026,” the tender document states.

Also, read: ICF likely to supply Metro-like AC coaches for Bengaluru suburban rail

ICF general manager U Subba Rao told Moneycontrol, “This year, we have a target of manufacturing 4,300 coaches, which is a huge number. We have decided to outsource the manufacturing of 600 coaches, while the remaining will be produced in-house.”

In addition to replacing ageing coaches, the new LHB coaches will also be deployed in long-distance trains to reduce overcrowding and prevent general unreserved passengers from entering reserved compartments.

In a recent written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said conventional ICF coaches are being gradually phased out and replaced with LHB coaches. Since 2015, around 23,000 conventional coaches have already been replaced.

LHB coaches offer several advantages, including better ride quality, centre buffer couplers for enhanced safety, anti-climbing mechanisms, axle-mounted disc brakes, improved crashworthiness, bio-toilets, higher seating capacity, panoramic windows, Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) interiors in AC coaches, and microprocessor-controlled air-conditioning systems.

Each coach must conform to ICF specifications and will carry a six-year warranty from the date of dispatch. Inspection will be conducted by ICF or its nominated agency, and deliveries are to be made at the ICF depot.

This procurement comes under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, with eligibility limited to Class-I local suppliers as per government policy.

The tender includes an option clause allowing for a 30 percent increase in the order quantity, giving ICF the flexibility to scale up procurement if required. Payment terms specify 90 percent payment upon successful inspection and certification, with the remaining 10 percent released after dispatch.

Also, read: India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train by BEML delayed due to quality concerns flagged by ICF

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