Duronto coaches shelf life not expired

Coaches are only 10-year-old: clarifies Southern Railway

Chennai:

Southern Railways on Wednesday dismissed allegations by Southern Railway Mazdoor Union that the Duronto Express from Chennai to Coimbatore is is using out of shelf coaches.

Southern Railways Chief Mechanical Engineer S K Sood told Express last night that old coaches are being used in Duronto Express and their shelf life has not expired.

“A normal shelf life of a coach is 25 years and we are using coaches that are 10 years old as the speed of Duronto Express is only 110 Km when compared to Shatabdi Express or Rajdhani Express whose speed is more than 130km,” Sood said.

Currently, new high speed LHV designed coaches are being provided to Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express, said Sood. He said in the southern region the maximum speed is 110 km so it is being provided with ITR designed coaches. On the shortage of rolling stock, he said the railways have adequate replacement as it is producing 200 coaches a year.

He also said that once the coach completes 12 years, it is being sent to Bhopal for mid-life rehabilitation.