The railways replaced the existing coaches with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) one. With the upgrade, the number of sleeper class coaches have come down to nine from 11. The number of general and AC coaches remains the same
During the design upgrade of two Mumbai-Goa trains — Konkan Kanya Express and Mandovi Express, the railways has reduced the number of coaches to 22 from 24. The move has been criticised by commuters as both the trains are almost always over-crowded. The railways replaced the existing coaches with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) one. With the upgrade, the number of sleeper class coaches have come down to nine from 11. The number of general and AC coaches remains the same.
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"We didn't get confirmed tickets when there were 11 coaches which the railways has now reduced to nine. Increase the sleeper and general coaches," said Abhishek Sawant, a commuter. Rahi Desai, another commuter, said the railways should continue to run the two trains with 24 coaches. However, railway officials said the upgraded LHB coaches of the two trains have more capacity now. A railways spokesperson said LHB coaches are longer than the older ones with eight additional seats in each coach. Hence, the overall capacity has not been compromised, the spokesperson added.
Another official said the LHB coaches are designed for improved passenger safety. "These aesthetically designed LHB coaches are made up of stainless steel and the interiors are made of aluminium which make them lighter when compared to the conventional rakes. The LHB coaches are longer than the old coaches, thereby increasing the seating capacity and are easier for maintenance. Each coach also has an 'Advanced Pneumatic Disc Brake System' for efficient braking at higher speeds, 'Modular Interiors' that integrate lighting into the ceiling and luggage racks and wider windows. The LED lighting used in LHB coaches are energy efficient," he added. "The Hydraulic shock absorber and improved suspension system of LHB coaches ensures greater riding comfort for the passengers compared to conventional rakes," he said.
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