BEML, HMT roped in for Metro project

BEML, HMT roped in for Metro project

The Hindu

MoU signed for helping design indigenous metro coaches

# Planning Commission to release Rs. 56 crores for research and development centre
# It will also fund infrastructure for Metro
# Designing, testing will be entrusted to the research facility
# Proposal for licensing technology from South Korea cleared

BANGALORE: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation will get technical assistance from the public sector major Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. BEML in turn has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Machine Tools to help in designing metro coaches with a high indigenous content and of international standards.

The Planning Commission has agreed to release Rs. 56 crores of the Rs. 125 cores committed for a research and development centre to be established by BEML.

Besides Bangalore Metro, similar projects elsewhere may be provided technical services by this research and development centre. HMT will be part of this and other engineering firms may also be involved.

According to BEML officials, the Planning Commission will provide financial assistance for putting in place the infrastructure needed for Metro Rail. This will be routed through the research and development facility. Besides designing the coaches, testing of spares procured from third parties and dealing with all queries of a technical nature that may crop up as work proceeds, will be the responsibility of the research facility.

For this year, some of the financial assistance will be routed through HMT, which will be involved in designing the Metro infrastructure.

The MoU between the two public sector companies contains details of how they will collaborate in regard to machines and machine tools.

HMT will be one of the largest vendors of components and spares and will also help in procuring equipment from other sources for building the Metro infrastructure and rolling stock.

The Union Government is funding the proposed research and development centre so that global technology related to mass rapid transit systems can be transferred and a high level of indigenisation obtained.

This will prove useful for future projects of a similar nature in other cities as well.

Delhi has cleared a BEML proposal for licensing technology from a South Korean firm for use in the Metro Rail.

The public sector unit is also expected to get an order for manufacturing the Metro coaches soon from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The coaches to run in Bangalore, will be of the same standard.