India: By 2028, Titagarh Rail Systems (TRSL) aims to increase its annual output to up to 850 EMU cars, compared with the current level of 300 per year.
To facilitate this expansion, the company has entered into a 99-year lease agreement with the government of West Bengal for a 16.1-ha (40-acre) land parcel. This parcel is located adjacent to TRSL’s existing 13.7-ha (34-acre) plant in Uttarpara, where the production of freight wagons and metro trains is already underway.
The lease is valued at INR 1.2 bln ($14.7 mln). The project will be to construct new production buildings and a test track for dynamic and running tests. Overall, the expanded Uttarpara plant is set to become TRSL’s principal manufacturing facility.
It is noteworthy that in April, TRSL inaugurated a new assembly line for Vande Bharat EMUs at its Uttarpara site. In partnership with BHEL, TRSL is preparing to fulfil an order for 80 such trains (totalling 1,280 coaches) for national operator Indian Railways.
TRSL is one of the largest private rolling stock manufacturers in India. The company also identifies itself as the country’s leading freight wagon builder: since late 2023, its three plants in Uttarpara, Titagarh, and Bharatpur have achieved a combined output of 1,000 freight wagons per month. In addition, TRSL operates three sites in Italy, acquired in the mid-2010s from Firema Trasporti, which provide expertise in aluminium-bodied coaches. The company has set a strategic goal to become a global rolling stock market player, with annual revenue exceeding $10 bln.
