With the recent handing over of a set of indigenously built metro cars in standard gauge category to the Delhi Metro Corporation, the Mini Ratna conferred government controlled company BEML has joined the coveted global metro car club. The stainless steel air conditioned rake of four cars is a part of the 156 car orders worth Rs. 1,140 crore that the company has received for the second phase of the Delhi Metro.

After achieving the milestone, the company has a distinct price advantage as the local makes of metro cars are said to cost 10 to 20 per cent lower than the imported ones. The company apart from competing for upcoming metro car bids in tier II and III cities will also bid for global projects and to top it all will offer spares and services for metro players. The recently released sets of cars are manufactured at BEML’s Bangalore complex under license from South Korean major Rotem.

Currently, the company is working on metro trains in the six-car formations for which it has bagged Rs1672 crore orders to supply 150 cars for the Bangalore Metro. The trial set will be delivered by October next year and is expecting further order of 60 cars for phase-III of the Delhi Metro. The company also delivered an 80 tons aluminum wagon, another first in the country, to the Chairman and Managing Director of National Aluminum Company Limited and has orders worth Rs. 5,036 crore including Rs. 300 crore for exports market, CEO, V R S Natarajan said.