Overview
- Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw opened the Aditya manufacturing complex in Bengaluru on Saturday, setting up a dedicated site to build B‑28 high‑speed coaches.
- The Railways targets the first indigenous B‑28 prototype in the first quarter of 2027, with extensive testing and trials planned before passenger service.
- Planners aim to start initial operations on the 97‑kilometre Surat–Vapi stretch of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor in August 2027.
- The Aditya plant features precision tools such as robotic laser welding and is described as capable of high‑volume coach output with on‑site testing infrastructure.
- Two eight‑coach prototype trainsets are being developed under a Rs 866.87 crore contract awarded in October 2024, with ICF and BEML co‑designing a train built to run at 250 km/h and designed for 280 km/h.