INDIAN Railways Engaged In Making Stainless Steel Coaches

JILDAL Stainless and Research Designs & Standards Organization (RDSO) of the Indian Railways will make success the third edition of InnoRail India 2018. With a 60% market share in the coach segment, Jindal Stainless has joined hands with the Railways for additionally modernizing rail infrastructure, particularly in the bridge segment. Speaking to media on the sidelines of InnoRail, Head, Sales, Jindal Stainless, Vijay Sharma said “As a progressive organization, RDSO keeps innovating ways and means to build safe and sustainable infrastructure. Stainless steel coaches and foot-over-bridges validate their movement in this direction. Jindal Stainless is proud to partner their journey by expediting conversion of coaches into stainless steel and strengthening rail infrastructure at the same time.” Over the next 4-5 years, Railways plans to produce around 10,000 stainless steel coaches annually. India has a coastline of 7500 km which necessitates the use of stainless steel infrastructure. High air-borne salts in marine environments cause rapid corrosion and degradation of infrastructure. Bridges, especially in these areas, are exposed to severe risk of collapse. As per industry data, around 1, 35,000 rail bridges exist in India, of which over 25% are over 100 years old and need immediate replacement. The first such stainless steel foot-over-bridge is coming at Bhayandar station in Mumbai next year. Though more than 1000 bridges are rehabilitated every year, there is a huge backlog in rebuilding these bridges. Stainless steel material for wagons and coaches produced by Jindal Stainless is already tested and approved by RDSO, the highest advisory body to the Indian Railways.   Apart from supply of stainless steel to Railways, Jindal Stainless also organizes fabrication training programmes at Integral Coach Factories to enhance their output, Vijay Sharma said.(image courtesy :The Financial Exprsess)