ICF-RDSO to make standard gauge Metro coaches: Railway Board chief

Talking to the media during the International Rail Coach Exhibition (IRCE 2018), which was inaugurated by Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the ICF in the morning, Lohani said the ICF was holding discussions with RDSO to develop standard gauge metro trains.

He was responding to a question on ICF not supplying trains to Metro Rail operators in the country except Kolkata Metro.

Almost all Metro Rails in the country, other than Kolkata (to which ICF supplies coaches) and a small segment of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, are run on standard guard, whereas ICF manufactures broad gauge metro coaches, Lohani said. ICF is working with RDSO to develop design and commence production of standard gauge metro coaches, he added.

On phasing out conventional coaches with LHB coaches, the Railway Board Chairman said that the transformation would be done in a phased manner without a time-frame.

Speaking on the occasion, General Manager of ICF Sudhanshu Mani said they have been increasing the production capacity by 300-400 coaches’ year on year and target of 3,000 coaches is set for the current fiscal. Rail manufacturers from 10 countries including Switzerland, China and Germany participated in the exhibition. Several leading international Metro Rail manufacturers like Alstom India, Bombardier Transport, Siemens have also set shop in the three-day expo.