Railway infrastructure is set for yet another overhaul. The railway ministry is planning to introduce EMU (electrical multiple units) coaches constructed using stainless steel.
The use of stainless steel in the new coaches would solve two major problems for railways?that of increasing the life of its coaches and also carrying more passengers.
?Not only will the coaches be corrosion resistant and have a longer life, they would also be able to carry more passengers as they would be lighter,? a Rail Bhawan official pointed out.
Being rust resistant would mean that the coaches would be easier to maintain and would reduce maintenance costs as well.
?Introduction of the new coaches would also help the Indian railways to get at least a part of its infrastructure at par with world standards,? the official added.
The coaches would be slightly more expensive than the current crop used by the railways but the ministry hopes its advantages would be more than its cost. The price differential between the two types of coaches would be about Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.
Kick starting the plan, the railway ministry has decided to place orders for prototypes of two such coaches with Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, Bangalore. The ministry will then decide whether and how to introduce these coaches on a large scale.
It may be noted that the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, had in 2004, decided to redesign EMUs with passenger friendly features and corrosion free stainless steel bodies. Railway minister Lalu Prasad in Budget 2005-06 had also announced introduction of stainless steel EMUs on the Mumbai suburban route.