Latur factory to roll out Metro coaches by 2020

Pune: A member of the rolling stock of the Railway Board, officer Rajesh Agrawal, on Saturday said the Latur Metro coach factory would roll out coaches by 2020.
The factory will come up on a 150-acre land in the first phase, where electrical multiple units (EMUs) and Metro coaches will be manufactured. It will cater to the domestic requirements of the railways.
“The construction work of the factory has begun.. We recently completed almost all the requisite tenders related to the project. There is no land acquisition issue now. Our endeavour is to complete the project in the stipulated deadline and roll out the coaches by 2020,” said Agrawal, who attended the Maha conference on railways and Metro at the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).
Agrawal said the project would not only create job opportunities in the drought-affected Marathwada region, but also build a conducive ecosystem for industries. “Latur is one of the backward districts of the state. This factory will benefit the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” he said.
Agrawal said artificial intelligence (AI) would be a game-changer for the railways. “Our smart coaches are equipped with AI systems, which detect defects on bearings, wheels and tracks, and provide real-time inputs to the control room to avoid accidents. Also, AI-powered CCTVs will enhance safety of on-board passengers,” said Agarwal.
He said, “We are upgrading our EMU rakes in three phases. Mumbai will soon get air-conditioned rakes and the same will be provided to Pune in the future.”
The guardian minister of Latur, Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar, said, “The railways has a vast network across India and is expanding it extensively. This has created a huge opportunity for industries. Our government is in the process of establishing a railway hub at Latur.”
The objective of the meeting was to increase awareness about initiatives of railways and Metro among the micro, small and medium enterprises in the Pune region and to explore opportunities to become a part of the railways value chain.