Amid a scarcity of railway rakes in Bangladesh, India is about to produce a rake of 19 LHB broad-gauge passenger coaches to the neighbouring nation, providing much-needed help to its rail community.
The primary rake of 19 LHB broad-gauge passenger coaches for Bangladesh railway has been rolled out from Rail Coach Manufacturing facility in Punjab’s Kapurthala.
The rake includes two AC Sleeper Automobiles, three AC Chair Automobiles, eleven Non-AC Chair Automobiles and two Energy Automobiles. These coaches incorporate a number of distinctive design options and modifications, lots of which have been developed for the primary time in LHB-type coaches.
Officers mentioned they’ve been particularly constructed for the specs of Bangladesh Railways and have been painted within the common inexperienced and white colors. These coaches have been specifically customised to satisfy the operational and passenger necessities of Bangladesh Railway.
The seating association incorporates specifically designed reclining chairs with chrome steel armrests and stainless-steel footrests, providing a number of reclining positions for enhanced passenger consolation, officers mentioned.
The coaches are outfitted with quite a lot of passenger-centric options, together with followers in AC coaches, an built-in CCTV surveillance system, a passenger alarm system, partially openable home windows, a Child Care Room and a Prayer Room.
Contemplating the precise working situations, the roof construction has been strengthened to face up to further loading arising from passengers travelling on the roof throughout peak visitors hours. Bangla Railway is notorious for passengers travelling on rooftops of trains because the railways within the nation has not been electrified.
Bangladesh Railway faces extreme systemic hurdles, together with growing old infrastructure, acute shortages of locomotives and passenger coaches resulting in monetary losses and persistent scheduling delays. A overwhelming majority of rolling inventory and tracks exceed their operational lifespans.
These coaches from India come at a time when the necessity for brand spanking new rolling inventory is severely impacting railway providers within the nation.
A significant technological function is the incorporation of crashworthy design provisions complying with European Commonplace EN 15227. This required a complete redesign of the automotive physique shell to boost collision efficiency and passenger security.
Officers additional mentioned {the electrical} system of those coaches has additionally been specifically designed for 415 V operation, as towards the standard 750 V system utilized in Indian Railways coaches.
The affiliation between RCF and Bangladesh Railway started with the profitable provide of 120 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches throughout 2015-16.
Constructing upon this profitable partnership, Bangladesh Railway as soon as once more entrusted RCF, by RITES, with a prestigious order in 2024 for the manufacture and provide of 200 broad gauge passenger coaches in seven variants.
Bangladesh is about to import 200 broad-gauge railway coaches from India, with the primary supply now being rolled out.
The supply of the 200 coaches are more likely to be accomplished by December 2027 below a Rs 915 crore deal. The challenge, financed by the European Funding Financial institution, will see the brand new coaches being added to the ageing Bangladesh Railway fleet between June 2026 and December 2027.
