Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the 12,000th Linke Hadimani Busch (LHB) coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai on May 20.
The Railway Minister, who is on a two-day inspection programme to the city to oversee the various railway infrastructure development work being carried out by Southern Railway, inaugurated the LHB AC-II tier coach during his tour of the furnishing factory division in the ICF where coaches for the Vande Bharat trains are also being built.
The Railway Minister after the inauguration said it is a great milestone in the history of Indian Railways and a benchmark in modernisation of passenger train services. ICF is the first production unit of Indian Railways to achieve such a benchmark in the production of LHB coaches. Also, the Vande Bharat express coaches are being produced at the LHB shed of Furnishing Factory.
Mr. Vaishnaw said the first two prototype rakes are planned to be turned out by August this year. Indian Railways is committed to operating 75 Vande Bharat rakes by August next year.
A.K. Agarwal, General Manager of ICF and B.G. Mallya, General Manager, Southern Railway, also participated in the tour of the ICF.
The Railway Minister on Thursday night inspected the station redevelopment project to be executed at Egmore Railway station. He interacted with the railway staff and passengers during the inspection.
