NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Indian Railways is making significant changes to its passenger coaches to manage maintenance costs effectively. It plans to reduce the types of coaches from 28 to just two: Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) and Vande Bharat. As per the top government official, in the next 5-6 years, there will be only LHB and Vande Bharat type coaches on the Indian Railways. This move is inspired by successful airlines that use a similar approach with their aircraft to lower upkeep costs.
According to the official, the maintenance costs can drop by 40% with standardizing the coaches.
Additionally, to cater to lower-income passengers, particularly migrants, the Railways will introduce new non-air conditioned trains. These trains will focus on routes with high demand for affordable tickets and will run from Assam, Punjab, Eastern UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal to Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Delhi. These will be permanent trains, not seasonal services, aimed at reducing pressure on other routes.
Moreover, the Railways is committed to passenger safety and plans to improve the design of LHB coaches. It aims to eliminate open doors during the journey and retrofit the coaches to minimize harm to passengers during accidents.
In the Budget 2023-24, Rs. 9792.88 crore has been allocated for Materials for Repairs and Maintenance, showcasing the Railways’ dedication to cost-effective and safe transportation for the nation.
I appreciate the move by Railways and support by Modi ji.All trains should be upgraded and new LHB coaches are really good one.