Train Wheels Imported To Meet Domestic Supply Shortfall: Railway Minister

The Indian Railways has an annual average requirement of 4,40,000 wheels for manufacture and maintenance of wagons, coaches and locos and the shortfall in domestic supply is met through imports, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

According to the minister, the current demand is fulfilled by the supply of wheels from Rail Wheel Factory, Bengaluru; Rail Wheel Plant, Bela (Bihar); SAIL, Durgapur Steel Plant; and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), Rae Bareli.

"Only shortfall requirement of wheels is met through imports as per existing policy guidelines of Government of India," Vaishnaw said in a written reply.

The minister responded to a question by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP G Ranjith Reddy whether “it is true that Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) are unable to supply wheels to Railways and hence Railways has decided to import wheels from China."

Vaishnaw stated that in an effort to fully develop indigenous capacity for wheels as per railways' requirement, sufficient measures have been taken by the Ministry of Railways.

"Contract under long-term agreement for supply of 80,000 forged wheels annually has been awarded in June 2023. Under this initiative, the agency has to establish forged wheels plant in India under ‘Make in India’. With the initiatives taken, India is on the way to become atmanirbhar in forged wheels,” the minister said.

He added, “Under off-take agreement entered with railways to supply 80,000 forged wheels annually, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has also set up forged wheels plant in Raebareli. This plant has been commissioned in September, 2021."