Odisha to roll out integrated coach factory for aluminium-bodied train by 2020

News on aluminium-bodied train sets ‘Train 20’ is strolling on the internet since long while apprising us with all the latest updates that the train sets, estimated to cost INR 2,500 crore would start rolling out of the Railways’ Integrated Coach Factory (ICF) near Chennai by 2020, followed by Integral Coach Factory General Manager S. Mani’s announcement on the same.

To move a step forward, now Odisha, being one of the largest aluminium producing states, is keen to establish an integrated coach factory for aluminium-bodied train sets. Stating about this interest, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday.

Patnaik mentioned in the letter that the state government is keen to establish this project and wish to roll it out by 2020.

According to a copy of the letter released to media, “Odisha is the largest producer of aluminium and houses about 56% of the smelting capacity of the country. Besides, the state government is developing a dedicated Aluminium Park, where molten aluminium can be directly obtained from the smelter of NALCO for the manufacturing of the train sets. In view of this unique advantage in the state, the production costs for the coaches could come down substantially through use of committed feedstock from the mother plant in the immediate vicinity.”

Patnaik also made a note in the letter that Odisha has identified downstream and ancillary units in metal sector as one of its five focus sectors and is ready and committed to provide unmatched facilitation support to manufacturing investments.