Chennai: Striding forward to importing technology from abroad and enabling export of rail coaches, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Perambur, kick-started the first ever International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE) in India, on Thursday.
Inaugurating the 3-day expo, which is being organised by ICF with the partnership of CII and RITES Ltd at RPF Parade Ground in Perambur, Governor Banwarilal Purohit said that with the exhibitions like IRCE, Indian Railways would be a part of the nation building where it would enhance welfare, promote employment opportunities and economic activities. The Governor also praised the Indian Railways for growing from 14 coaches to 70,937 coaches.
While addressing the Indian and overseas delegations, chairman of Railway Board Ashwani Lohani said that the Indian Railways is witnessing a lot of changes in terms enhancing the passenger experience. “ICF had manufactured 57,000 coaches till date and 80 percent of rail coaches running in India are manufactured by ICF,” ICF general manager S. Mani said.
The first coach exhibition has witnessed delegations from 10 countries including Switzerland, China and Germany with nearly 82 exhibitors. “Along with ICF other coach production units such as Modern Coach Factory and Rail Coach Factory also put up stalls. Public sector units such as RITES and BEML also participated in the expo,” the organisers said.
Although the IRCE is mainly intended to boost deliberation between various companies, clients and the ICF, the expo will be open for public viewing between 3 pm and 6 pm on Friday. The exhibition was opened to public on Thursday too.
