Rlys will boost wheels production as high-speed train plans spike demand

WITH high-speed train projects slated for launch in the coming years, the Railways is bracing for a surge in demand for forged wheels by augmenting local production, officials said.

- RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi

As the Centre has the mega plan to manufacture 200 Vande Bharat express and other high-speed trains, the annual requirement for forged wheels could climb to around 2 lakh units from 2026 onwards, according to officials. Currently, the Railways relies heavily on imports for forged wheels, mostly from China with import chain disrupted because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Despite the domestic production of approximately 40,000 wheels by the Steel Authority of India Limited, the Railways had to import forged wheels worth ₹900 crore from China and Russia during 2024-25 fiscal to meet operational needs, according to government data.