ICF General Manager Manish Agarwal
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The Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has developed Freight Electric Multiple Unit (Freight EMU) trainsets, marking a diversification of indigenous trainset technology beyond conventional passenger applications, said General Manager Manish Agarwal.The Freight EMU has generated keen interest among stakeholders and is expected to bring a significant change in freight transportation, particularly for the movement of white goods, Agarwal said in his Independence Day address on Saturday.Highlighting the factory’s initiatives, he said production drawings for structural and fabrication assemblies, coach-to-coach interfaces and underframe equipment layouts have been prepared for the indigenous 24-car Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset. Production of the trainset is expected to commence shortly.On the Amrit Bharat Version 3.0, Agarwal said the next-generation trainset would comprise air-conditioned, general and sleeper-class coaches, aimed at providing economical and comfortable travel to passengers across sections.ICF has also introduced India’s first 15-car EMU rake for Mumbai suburban services. In another initiative aimed at improving passenger safety, the factory has developed non-AC EMU coaches fitted with automatic sliding doors for suburban services.The factory has also upgraded the interiors of Kolkata Metro coaches with improved aluminium panelling, ceilings and single-piece sidewall panels to enhance finish and appearance, along with advanced safety features.ICF’s growing trainset and coach portfolio comes as the factory continues to scale up production. In 2025-26, it achieved a record outturn of 3,405 coaches, marking a 13 per cent increase over the previous year.During the year, ICF also rolled out its historic 80,000th passenger coach, underlining its position as one of the country’s major railway coach manufacturing facilities.Published on August 15, 2026
