Integral Coach Factory on Monday despatched a set of ‘Made in India’ Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU) – used for short and medium distance travel in non-electrified sections – to Sri Lanka.

The first rake of 13-car DEMUs for the Sri Lanka Railways was handed over to senior officials of RITES Ltd at ICF and will be shipped to the island nation from the Chennai port in a few days.

Export orders

ICF has exported coaches and coach components to various countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria and Uganda since 1971-72.

ICF recently bagged an export order of six rakes of DEMUs consisting of 78 coaches in five variants with RITES and ICF jointly executing the order, placed under an India-Sri Lanka economic cooperation agreement.

The last export order to Sri Lanka was the supply of 120 DEMU coaches (20 DEMU rakes in six-coach formation) in 2010-12, a press release from ICF said.

S Mani, General Manager, ICF, said in the release that ICF is expecting another order from Sri Lanka Railways for 160 coaches and the modalities are being worked out with RITES. Negotiations are at an advanced stage between Indian Railways and Bangladesh Railways for export of coaches from ICF.