BL reported that BEML Limited and Siemens Limited have signed an agreement to jointly manufacture and market stainless steel coaches for suburban rail systems.

The INR 3,000 crore defense enterprise will make stainless steel electric multiple units. Siemens will manufacture the high performance bogies and three phase insulated gate bipolar transistor propulsion system, which it is already supplying to Railways.

As per the MoA of February 1st 2010, the two will jointly bid for purchase orders from Indian Railways and suburban trains operators such as Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Limited. There was a growing demand for EMU coaches as major cities, especially Mumbai, were expanding their suburban rail networks.

Officials said that "By this agreement, BEML and Siemens will work together for metro propulsion towards maximizing indigenization and to bring down costs in respect of metro cars."

(Sourced from www.thehindubusinessline.com)