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The MEMU trains equipped with higher acceleration capacity are expected to move faster on electrified tracks and would benefit daily commuters.
"Rajasthan will give us 200 acres of land in Bhilwara for setting up the MEMU coach factory and BHEL will set up the factory which will manufacture 400 coaches in a year," Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said at the MoU signing ceremony here.
While an MoU was signed between railways and BHEL here for setting up a Rs 1,000 cr state-of-the-art MEMU coach factory in Bhilwara, the national transporter will sign another MoU with Rajasthan for the joint venture project.
As per the agreement, new MEMU coaches will be designed to have toilets and comfortable seating arrangements.
"Currently railways have 160 MEMU trains while the demand for shorter routes have increased manifold. There will be a requirement of about 9000 MEMU coaches in the next 10 years. So there is a need to step up production of more MEMU coaches," Bansal said.
MEMU trains are required for faster connectivity with suburban areas. Nine MEMU coaches comprise one MEMU train.
"The way urbanisation is taking place, MEMU trains are really important. Railways also want to run more trains to provide reliable and better services to people and this is the need of the hour," Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel said.
MEMU trains have engines on both sides so they can operate in both directions quickly. Each MEMU train with nine coaches can carry 1800 passengers as each coach has seating capacity of 100 passengers and equal number of people can stand as there is space for standing passenger as well.
Patel said "In the future, it (MEMU) is going to be more required. Production of short distance MEMU trains should increase because railways cannot make it on its own on a large scale that is why Railways has partnered with BHEL. Rajasthan government has provided land for the project and BHEL will complete it as soon as possible."
Bansal, who is going to announce it in his maiden budget tomorrow. Said the Rail Coach factory at Kapurthala is not equipped to manufacture large number of coaches.
"They are aiming to manufacture 400 coaches in a year... production capacity could be increased, if required," Patel said.
BHEL is already into manufacturing of diesel and electric locomotives at its plant in Jhansi and has an annual capacity to make around 50 engines.
