PROCUREMENT OF ROLLING STOCK
The Railways have
provided Rs. 3795 crore for procurement of rolling stock—electric
locomotives, diesel locomotives, coaches, wheels, axles and re-building
of diesel locos—during the current financial year 2003-2004 as
compared to Rs. 3748.04 crore during 2002-2003.
The rolling stock
procurement is based on the broad based requirement assessed for
five years plan period and fine tuned on annual basis of volume
of traffic to be carried and efficiency of utilization foreseen
in a particular year.
The fleet of
rolling stock—both locomotives and coaches—is being upgraded with
incorporation of modern technologies. With transfer of technology,
both diesel and electric locomotives of higher horse power with
improved tractive effort and higher tailing load are being manufactured
indigenously. As a result, it has become feasible to haul freight
trains at higher speeds without correspondingly increasing the
number of locomotives.
Similarly, railways
have stopped manufacturing vacuum braked wagons. The new wagons
are air braked with fitment of composite brake blocks. This has
resulted of brake power during run. The concept of thorough maintenance
at certain base depots of close circuit rakes has paid rich dividends
whereby the wagon mobility as reflected in wagon kilometre per
wagon day has been showing improvement year after year. This strategy
is being continued during the current Tenth Plan period as well.
