Article by – Neeraj Tiwari and Hitanshi Kothari
In a major stride towards the completion of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Corridor, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has revealed plans for three state-of-the-art Rolling Stock depots.
These depots, situated in Sabarmati and Surat, Gujarat, and Thane, Maharashtra, draw inspiration from Japan’s renowned Shinkansen depots, introducing cutting-edge technology to India’s high-speed rail infrastructure.
On Tuesday, NHSRCL granted the ‘Design and Construction of Thane Rolling Stock Depot’ project in Maharashtra to M/s Dineshchandra-DMRC JV. This comprehensive package encompasses civil works, inspection sheds, maintenance depots, and the installation, testing, and commissioning of maintenance facilities.
The sprawling Thane depot, covering an expansive 55-hectare area, is designed to house facilities for the upkeep and light maintenance of trainsets. Initially featuring four inspection lines and ten stabling lines, these capacities are projected to increase to eight and 31, respectively, in the future.
To meet the high standards of Shinkansen, approximately 200 pieces of 40 types of depot machinery, including cutting-edge equipment such as bogie exchange machines, underfloor wheel re-profiling machines, testers, data readers, ultrasonic flaw detectors, and a trainset washing plant, are being procured from Japan.
In addition to the Thane Rolling Stock Depot, construction is underway for two more depots in Sabarmati and Surat, Gujarat. The Sabarmati Rolling Stock Depot, positioned as the largest depot covering approximately 83 hectares, will feature state-of-the-art equipment catering to both light and heavy maintenance of trainsets.
