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• The Integral Coach Factory in Perambur has been asked to design a standard gauge metro rail coach to be abletocompetein the marketto supply coaches for metro projectsin thecountry.The "ICF will be making metro rail coaches for the Kolkata metro run by railways. These coaches will be on broad gaugebutwe want the factory to make the most of the opportunity and set aside a few designs for metro rail coaches on standard gauge that can perform better and cost lesser than imported coaches. The designs can be sent to the Research Design and Standards Organisation," saidRailwayBoard member (mechanical) Sanjiv Handa after inaugurating Emission TestCar atICFon Monday.
• He said the railways would be ableto proveitwascapableof making coachesof international standard and be able to take part in tenders floated by metro railcorporationsin differentcities. "Railways should understandthe merits anddemeritsof metrosystemsin Germany and France and conceptualise a design for India."The ICF did not take part in thebidding processwhen ChennaiMetroRailfloatedtendersto makestandard gaugecoaches."There is going to be an explosion of demand for metro coachesin Chennai,Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and other cities.Railwaysshouldbridgethe gap and should also be able to providecost-effective metro rail coaches. Coach factories of the railways will be able to make coaches at less cost and better engineering than the imported coaches."
• "We are appalled at the cost at which metro coaches are imported. One coach costs Rs 8 crore.ICF's metrocoachfor Kolkata costs just Rs 5 crore. Metro managements are not able to discover the pricefor metro rail coaches because the railways did not have a benchmark for price as it is not making metro coaches," he added.The Planning Commission concerned over this and a debatewason aboutequipping the railways to make metro rail coaches, Sanjiv Handa said. "Once we set a benchmark in price and quality, metro corporationswillbecompelledtobuy coachesfrom railways," hesaid.

Types Of Gauges In Railway

• Standard gauge: 1,435mm wide.Adopted for metro because it can negotiate curves better. Standard gauge coaches can carry more people than broad guageBroad gauge: 1,676mm wide.The British selected broad guage for India because of the technical specifi cations of coaches made in those daysMetre gauge: 1,000mm wide.Was introduced to lay track along hilly areas where sharp turns are necessary. Metre gauge trains can negotiate narrow curvesNarrow gauge: 760mm wide. Helps run trains on steep regions. Narrow guage coaches are short and can negociate sharper turns than metre gauge coaches. Not ideal for freight or heavy passenger load

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