Golden Rock to mfg stainless steel wagons

Tiruchi: The Golden Rock Railway Workshop here would manufacture stainless steel wagons, each of which would have payload of three tonnes more than the conventional wagons, the Minister of State for Railways, Mr R. Velu, has said.

The stainless steel wagons will be non-corrosive with the longevity of such wagons being more. Though the cost of manufacturing stainless steel wagons would almost be double as compared to conventional wagons, it would have more benefits in several aspects, he told presspersons after the inspecting the workshop on Wednesday.

The Railways has planned to electrify 2,500 kms of tracks across the country during the Eleventh Plan. The Ministry has taken a policy decision to increase electrification, he said.

During the Tenth Plan, the railways had electrified 1,400 kms, he said adding that all trunk routes and those along the golden quadrilateral had been electrified.

Sanction had been accorded for the electrification of the Madurai–Tuticorin and Maniyachi–Nagercoil broad gauge sections at a total cost of Rs 156 crore.

The railways had planned to install controlled discharge toilet system and bio-toilets in 34,000 broad gauge coaches in few years from now. The eco-friendly toilets have been introduced in some of the Rajdhani and Shatabdhi trains as a pilot project.

Mr Velu said the 272-km Villupuram–Dindigul doubling work would be taken up before the end of the current financial year. The project would be executed at a cost of Rs 822 crore. He said the Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai conversion work would be completed by December.