11:42 AM
Mail Today Bureau New Delhi : January 13, 2016 |
Photo: Mail Today
With plush interiors, enhanced safety, speed and aesthetically designed colour pattern, the Indian trains are set for a makeover as part of Indian Railways' Make in India initiative. The prototype of the 24-coach train is ready and awaiting clearance before being inducted for passenger service.
The coaches have been designed with improved interior furnishings to appeal passengers of all age groups. According to railway officials, 111 such luxury coaches, including air-conditioned and general coaches, will be ready by June 2016 and thereafter a decision on its continuation will be taken. In another development, the railway ministry has given its nod to making of 'Anubhooti' coaches, the ultra-modern coaches for executive chair cars in Shatabdi Express across the country. "The railway board has given its nod to making of 'Anubhooti' coaches keeping in view the comfort of upper class passengers. The construction of coaches will begin soon," said an Indian Railway official. Officials said these coaches will be manufactured at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Photo: Mail Today
With plush interiors, enhanced safety, speed and aesthetically designed colour pattern, the Indian trains are set for a makeover as part of Indian Railways' Make in India initiative. The prototype of the 24-coach train is ready and awaiting clearance before being inducted for passenger service.
The coaches have been designed with improved interior furnishings to appeal passengers of all age groups. According to railway officials, 111 such luxury coaches, including air-conditioned and general coaches, will be ready by June 2016 and thereafter a decision on its continuation will be taken. In another development, the railway ministry has given its nod to making of 'Anubhooti' coaches, the ultra-modern coaches for executive chair cars in Shatabdi Express across the country. "The railway board has given its nod to making of 'Anubhooti' coaches keeping in view the comfort of upper class passengers. The construction of coaches will begin soon," said an Indian Railway official. Officials said these coaches will be manufactured at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Railway officials said at present the luxury coaches are being prepared at Carriage Rehabilitation Workshop in Bhopal wherein old rail coaches are being renovated with latest techniques and comforts.
Gradually, all new coaches will be equipped with these amenities owing to low manufacturing cost. "111 luxury coaches are likely to be ready by June this year. A prototype train with 24-coaches is ready at Delhi's Safdarjung station. We are inviting suggestions from various stakeholders and the public for further modifications. A decision on inducting the train for passenger service will be taken thereafter," a senior official said.
The new coaches have been fitted with plush interiors, bio-toilets, illuminated signs and even stairs to climb to upper berths. The age-old blue and brown seats have been replaced with a striking purple shade. The coaches are more spacious than the existing ones with wider berths, and 'jerk-proof ' seats promising a far more comfortable journey. The use of fire-resistant material in seats and curtains also enhance safety from fire.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday inspected the new coaches in the Capital. "Though the coaches are 12 to 15 years old, all have been refurbished at the Carriage Rehabilitation Workshop in Bhopal. There will be a total of 111 coaches that will be refurbished with new features at an estimated cost of Rs 31.5 crore. It costs about Rs 25 lakh for an AC-1 coach to refurbish it," railway board member Hemant Kumar said. Average cost to upgrade a non-AC coach is Rs 16 lakh approximately and for AC coach it is nearly Rs 22 lakh. In November last year, trial run of 24-coach train was successfully conducted between Bhopal and Bina railway stations at a speed of 120 km per hour.
Meanwhile, after a delay of over two years, the railways have decided to manufacture special executive cars for Shatabdi Express with upgraded ambience and facilities. The Anubhooti coach was introduced in the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express as a pilot project; however, the idea did not move beyond a prototype.
It was in 2013 that then railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had proposed induction of Anubhooti coaches in his maiden Rail Budget, first into the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi, and then into the Jaipur-New Delhi Shatabdi.
Anubhooti was conceptualised as a modern coach, fitted with cushioned seats, separate LCD screens and laptop/mobile phone charging points for each passenger, modular toilets, world-class interiors, and automatic opening and closing internal doors. The coaches also had the provision of in-built entertainment like TV and WiFi. It was estimated to cost around Rs 2.80 crore, marginally higher than the Germandesigned Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches that are used in all major trains. Accordingly, the fare was also supposed to be hiked.
Gradually, all new coaches will be equipped with these amenities owing to low manufacturing cost. "111 luxury coaches are likely to be ready by June this year. A prototype train with 24-coaches is ready at Delhi's Safdarjung station. We are inviting suggestions from various stakeholders and the public for further modifications. A decision on inducting the train for passenger service will be taken thereafter," a senior official said.
The new coaches have been fitted with plush interiors, bio-toilets, illuminated signs and even stairs to climb to upper berths. The age-old blue and brown seats have been replaced with a striking purple shade. The coaches are more spacious than the existing ones with wider berths, and 'jerk-proof ' seats promising a far more comfortable journey. The use of fire-resistant material in seats and curtains also enhance safety from fire.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday inspected the new coaches in the Capital. "Though the coaches are 12 to 15 years old, all have been refurbished at the Carriage Rehabilitation Workshop in Bhopal. There will be a total of 111 coaches that will be refurbished with new features at an estimated cost of Rs 31.5 crore. It costs about Rs 25 lakh for an AC-1 coach to refurbish it," railway board member Hemant Kumar said. Average cost to upgrade a non-AC coach is Rs 16 lakh approximately and for AC coach it is nearly Rs 22 lakh. In November last year, trial run of 24-coach train was successfully conducted between Bhopal and Bina railway stations at a speed of 120 km per hour.
Meanwhile, after a delay of over two years, the railways have decided to manufacture special executive cars for Shatabdi Express with upgraded ambience and facilities. The Anubhooti coach was introduced in the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express as a pilot project; however, the idea did not move beyond a prototype.
It was in 2013 that then railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had proposed induction of Anubhooti coaches in his maiden Rail Budget, first into the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi, and then into the Jaipur-New Delhi Shatabdi.
Anubhooti was conceptualised as a modern coach, fitted with cushioned seats, separate LCD screens and laptop/mobile phone charging points for each passenger, modular toilets, world-class interiors, and automatic opening and closing internal doors. The coaches also had the provision of in-built entertainment like TV and WiFi. It was estimated to cost around Rs 2.80 crore, marginally higher than the Germandesigned Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches that are used in all major trains. Accordingly, the fare was also supposed to be hiked.
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