As a result of
progress of gauge conversion of Indian Railways, some metre
gauge (MG) sections have got locked up temporarily due to which
some overaged coaches had to be continued in service duly ensuring
complete safety. This has affected the condition of coaches
to some extent, but corrective action has been taken by manufacturing
new coaches and arranging support of overhauling workshops in
locked up sections by transshipping the coaches. Further, Railways
have recommended production of metre gauge coaches with effect
from the year 2000-01 and total 299 Metre Gauge coaches have
been introduced from April 2000 to January 2003. Such need-based
production of Metre Gauge coaches shall be continued.
This information
was given by the Minister of Railways Shri Nitish Kumar in reply
to a question from Shri Padam Sen Choudhry in the Lok Sabha
today.
