On Tuesday, Western Railway general manager GC Agarwal, during a press interaction at its Churchgate headquarters, said the rake — being built by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai — would be coming to Mumbai by October.
The fact that the first air-conditioned local for Mumbai is one of the railways' most delayed project is old news. What is, however, worrying is that top railway officials involved in the project are not sure about deadlines pertaining to the train.
On Tuesday, Western Railway general manager GC Agarwal, during a press interaction at its Churchgate headquarters, said the rake — being built by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai — would be coming to Mumbai by October.
When dna asked the same question to ICF-Chennai chief AK Agarwal, he was clear that the rake would be leaving for Mumbai only in December. In its August 28 edition, dna had mentioned that the AC rake would be missing its October deadline.
The reason for the delay was that the computer software for the rake, being made by public sector major BHEL and Dutch firm Strukton in a joint venture, reached Chennai for fitment and testing in September. Since the testing of the software would have taken at least a couple of months, ICF officials had told dna in August that the rake was almost certain to miss its October 2 deadline for dispatch to Mumbai.
The commissioning of the train — when it is finally open for public use — is also uncertain as of now. Speaking at Tuesday's press interaction, WR chief Agarwal said the trial for the rake, especially oscillation (speed) trials, is expected to take three months or longer. "It is a new product so it will take time," Agarwal said.
"It just shows how lightly the whole AC project was taken by officials. If there is so much confusion on when the rake would come in, then I'm sure Mumbaikars can expect more delays once the trials begin. There will be so many more agencies involved," said Manish Chaturvedi, a commuter.
A history of delays
February 2012: AC local is announced in 2012-13 rail budget.
February 2014: UPA govt sets July 2014 as the new deadline.
March 2014: Construction is supposed to start, but only design of the rake's interiors finalised. BHEL delays sending electrical motors to railways.
June 2014: July 2014 deadline is pushed back to late 2014.
August-September 2014: Construction of shells of the rake begins at ICF-Chennai.
September 2014: Deadline is pushed back to January 2015.
January 2015: July 2015 is set as the new deadline.
April 2015: Railway minister Suresh Prabhu says trials of rake to begin in Mumbai by September.
June 2015: October 2 is set as new deadline.
August 2015: Deadline is again revised to December, which ICF says will be maintained.
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