Indian Railways (IR) in a bid to modernize the trains is now keen to design and manufacture Air Conditioned (AC) coaches for suburban train services across India.
Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO), the research and design organization of the Indian Railways, has prepared a new blueprint for manufacturing AC local train coaches. The cost for each AC bogie could go up to Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakh. According to RDSO director general K B L Mittal, the RDSO which has successfully designed the AC local coach as per requirement of passengers is ready to manufacture an AC EMU (electrical multiple unit) bogie too.
“It is the need of the time to introduce AC local trains in suburban areas to cater to the needs of passengers on the pattern of foreign railways. Such experiments would yield positive results to the railways on less crowded routes,” a railway board official said.
IR that has the largest rail network in Asia has been undertaking various initiatives off late to better the Indian railway system. Some of its noteworthy developments include introduction of online ticketing system, IRCTC mobile, book a meal with ticket offer, among others.
