Its production capacity will cross 1,500-mark next year
CHENNAI: It is not an easy task for a coach manufacturing unit to make a quantum jump from rolling out 1,100 coaches a year to 1,440 in two years. But, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Perambur, has done it, thanks to the effective cooperation of workers, the installation of sophisticated machineries and the congenial work atmosphere provided by the administration.
The production capacity will cross the 1,500-mark by next year, with the improved infrastructure and well-trained workers, says General Manager P. Raja Goundan.
Talking to TheHindu, Mr. Goundan said the past two years were crucial for the ICF, as it received prestigious orders, including ‘Palace on Wheels’ from the Karnataka Tourism Development Corporation and the Rajasthan Tourism Corporation and Life Line Express, a hospital on wheels.
Special coaches
It made special coaches for Defence establishments and produced 15 AC/DC coaches for the Mumbai Metropolitan Rail System in collaboration with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. Soon, it would supply the prototype of a coach to the Mumbai Metropolitan Rail System. After getting the clearance from the Mumbai Metro, the factory would start making 148 rakes worth Rs. 2,000 crore.
Mr. Goundan said designing and manufacturing of AC/DC coaches for the Mumbai system was a challenging task. The Mumbai system now had DC traction, and it was being converted into AC traction. As suspension of suburban services would result in chaos, the Mumbai suburban system wanted coaches, which could run on both tractions.
On the export front, the ICF sent 56 coaches, worth Rs. 56 crore, to Angola.
The ICF’s production capacity would increase further soon, with the installation of a sophisticated painting unit, robot welding machines, laser cutting machines and a fume extraction plant.
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