TELANGANA (Metro Rail News): Telangana is set to have India’s second railway manufacturing unit in Kazipet. The foundation stone for the unit will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The South Central Railway (SCR) general manager, Arun Kumar Jain, announced that the unit will initially produce 1,200 wagons in the first year and increase to 2,400 wagons from the second year onwards.
Braithwaite & Co, a public-sector undertaking based in Kolkata, currently runs India’s first railway manufacturing unit, while the facility in Kazipet will mark the railways’ inaugural establishment of such a unit.
According to Mr. Jain, a Kazipet wagon repair facility with a monthly capacity of overhauling 200 waggons was initially authorised. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) was given responsibility for it. Later, a decision was made to turn it into a waggon manufacturing facility in consideration of the rising need for waggons and pressure to establish a manufacturing facility to support local industry.
Mr. Jain expressed that the establishment of the unit would stimulate new industrial development in the Hanumakonda region.The 160-acre facility will have the capacity to increase its production capacity for both wagons and rolling stock. This facility will be essential to achieve the goal of increasing freight transit to 3,000 million tonnes since the nation has long struggled with a waggon shortage. Additionally, the unit’s strategic location with excellent rail connectivity in all directions will facilitate efficient order delivery, further enhancing its significance.
The unit will be built with an eco-friendly design, featuring a solar power plant, sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting structure, and natural daylighting. It will embrace cutting-edge technology, such as robotic painting of wagons, computerized machinery for precise cutting, and advanced material storage and handling units. The project is anticipated to generate approximately 1,200 job opportunities in the initial phase. Aiming to complete it by February 22, 2025, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited will oversee the construction of the unit.
