Commuters relieved that CR authorities plan to make their fleet of 24 Bombardier rakes operational soon
Days after commuters came out against Central Railway's (CR) decision to exchange four of their favourite Siemens class trains with Pune suburban railway's old retro-fitted rakes, the authorities are planning to strike a similar deal with the Western Railway (WR). In return for four new Medha class trains, the CR will get four older Bombardiers from the WR. However, passengers still have reason to cheer. The CR authorities plan to make their fleet of 24 Bombardier trains (20 of which are new) operational soon.
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One of CR's Bombardiers
Speaking to mid-day, Subhash Gupta of Yatri Sangh Mumbai, who is also a former member of National Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee, said, "Finally, we have won the battle. But this should have been done much earlier. Why does the CR always bow down to the pressure from the WR? Its commuters pay equal surcharge, yet they are forced to travel in second-hand trains." Confirming the decision, a CR official said that this was being done as it's easier to maintain a fleet of similar trains and also because WR has the facility of maintaining both the types. Commuter associations of the CR, which have been fighting for the swanky Bombardier rakes, welcomed the decision on Thursday.
Train trivia
While the Medha trains, which are fitted with electrical equipment from the Medha Servo Drives Ltd, are a part of the 'Make in India' initiative, the others have been brought in from Bombardier Transportation Electricals. The shell and other parts have been made at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The trains cost over Rs 40 crore. Ironically, the inaugural function for induction of the Bombardier trains in the WR fleet had been conducted at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in October 2013.
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