Driver-Less To Worker-Less Trains? In A First, Robots To Build Rail Coaches At Rae Bareli Factory

Indian Railways will be taking the next step in technology, as for the first time in the History of Indian Railways manufacturing of metro rail coaches at the Rae Bareli factory will be done by Robots, reported Business Today. "It will also be the first factory in the country where robots will produce coaches," said Rajesh Agarwal, member (rolling stock), Railway Board.

The initiative will be a part of the Make in India scheme, an official said. The Coaches are said to be of the same standard as the Bombardier – manufactured by a Canadian manufacturer and is currently used by metro services in the country. The coaches are told to include top equipment like WiFi, CCTV cameras, mobile charging points among other facilities.

Furthermore, safety features will also be upgraded with the inclusion of signalling, door control and train management systems along with modern surveillance gadgets on board.

"We already have had two meetings with the government on producing metro coaches. The Maharashtra government has given its approval for coaches for two metro trains," said Rajesh Agarwal.

Since it will be a Make In India Initiative, the homemade coaches will be 40 per cent cheaper than those brought in from China and other countries. Agarwal also pointed out that they are making a total of six metro coaches currently. The cost of each coach would be Rs 8 crore, which is significantly cheaper than the ones procured from China. The Chinese coaches cost around Rs 12 crore.

Agarwal also said the expansion of the Modern Coach Factory (MCF) would cost Rs 480 crore. It includes recruitment of experts and technicians on a large scale and is scheduled to be completed by December 2018.