These new coaches will have increased strength as the number of berths in each coach has been increased to 83 from the current 72.
The Indian Railways will soon roll out 806 new air-conditioned three-tier “economy” coaches this fiscal to offer the “cheapest and best AC travel in the world,” news agency PTI reported on Tuesday, quoting railway officials. Economical in nature, these coaches will have a fare ranging between that of AC three-tier coaches and non-AC sleeper class coaches, the officials further said.
“By the end of 2021, or in 2022, we will 806 AC three-tier economy class coaches. All our coach factories will work simultaneously to manufacture these coaches. The Railways is getting future-ready and will ensure that all passengers get better travelling experience than ever before,” a railway official said.
The coaches, conceptualised by the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), will be rolled out from the Railways’ three coach-making factories: RCF, Kapurthala; Integrated Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai; and the Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Rai Bareilly. The new coaches will have an increased passenger strength as the number of berths in each coach has been increased to 83 from the current 72.
(1.) Improved and modular design of seats and berth with foldable snack tables in both longitudinal and transverse bays;
(2.) Individual AC vents for each berth, along with one wider toilet door and one for specially-abled, in each coach;
(3.) Individual reading points and mobile charging points for each berth in addition to the standard socket;
(4.) An improved design for a ladder for accessing the upper and middle berths, along with an increased headroom for both the berths;
(5.) Indian and western-style lavatories, as well public address and passenger information systems have been installed;
(6.) Improving fire safety by ensuring compliance with EN45545-2HL3, the global benchmark for materials.
Currently, 25 such coaches, are in operation: 10, seven, five and three in the Western Railway, North Central Railway, North Western Railway and Northern Railway, respectively. The New Delhi Duronto, Jaipur Duronto, Dehradun-Prayagraj and Prayagraj-Raj Dehradun Express, Jaipur-Chennai Central Express Jaipur-Coimbatore Express and Lichchavi Express are some trains that are equipped with these new AC coaches.
