The Hindu : Karnataka News : 123-year-old carriage workshop being modernised

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Saturday, Apr 19, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

123-year-old carriage workshop being modernised

Staff Correspondent

Improvement: The Carriage Repair Workshop of the South Western Railway in Hubli.

HUBLI: The 123-year-old Carriage Repair Workshop, commonly known as Railway Workshop, at Hubli is all set to utilise its full potential and increase its manufacturing capacity alongside the modernisation works, which have been initiated on a small scale.

After taking journalists to the various sections of the workshop here on Friday, Chief Workshop Manager D. Ghosh Roy said that the workshop had registered an increase in its manufacturing capacity.

He said the workshop manufactured 105 brake vans for goods trains during 2007-08, while it was 91 during 2006-07 registering an increase of 15.4 per cent. The workshop registered an increase of 31 per cent in manufacturing coaches. Compared to 1,091 bogies in 2006-07, it produced 1,430 bogies during 2007-08.

Mr. Roy said that during the current financial year, the workshop had set the target of manufacturing 150 brake vans and 1,600 bogies.

The workshop also manufactured 104 bogie frames during 2007-08, which was an improvement of 6.1 per cent compared with 98 bogie frames in the previous year. He said during 2007-08, the workshop carried out periodic overhauling (POH) of 1,117 coaches and has plans to take the number 1,200 coaches during the current financial year.

Mr. Roy said the workshop had started renovating pantry cars with stainless steel interior panelling for better hygiene, upkeep and cleanliness.

It had started providing side middle berths in sleeper class coaches.

First time

He said for the first time the workshop had manufactured and supplied 22 air spring suspension bogies Electrical Multiple Units (EMU) coaches to other railway workshops and also 50 assembled bogies to Messrs JESSOP following the Railway Board’s order.

To a query, Mr. Roy said following the agreement with Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) the workshop had supplied 20 container flat wagons and would be supplying another 45 flat wagons. Since CONCOR had to import the wheels for the flat wagons, which would be fixed at the workshop, there had been a delay in supplying the remaining wagons, he clarified.

Training

Mr. Roy said keeping in mind the diversification activities and modernisation of the workshop, a Basic Training Centre equipped with the state-of-the-art teaching and training aids had been set up at the workshop.

Apart from Mr Roy, Deputy Chief Workshop Manager S. Srinivas, Workshop Personnel Officer Amrita Dhingra and other officials explained the functioning of eleven different sections in the workshop.

Mr. Roy said that out of the Rs. 86 crore sanctioned for the modernisation of the workshop, Rs. 25 crore would be utilised for the replacement of old machines and Rs. 25 crore would be spent for purchasing new machines.

The remaining amount would be for civil engineering works, including dismantling some sheds and extension of some apart from flooring and other works, he added.

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