NewsBytes: New Delhi: Sunday, June 25, 2017.
Railways
to build Rs. 8cr high-tech train for next President
While India
is yet to decide on its next President, looks like the Railway Ministry is
already busy with preparations for Pranab Mukherjee's successor.
The Ministry
is currently planning a new railway saloon worth Rs. 8cr for the winning
Presidential candidate.
The state
transporter will also seek the new President's approval in July.
Know more
about Presidential railway saloon!
The
Presidential railway saloon is a pair of twin coaches for the President of
India to move around in.
Built in
1956, they have a visiting-cum-dining room, conference-cum-lounge room,
President's bedroom, kitchen, and chambers for military secretaries, doctors,
and staff.
Previous
Presidents traveled in these coaches 87 times with Dr. Abdul Kalam's 2006
journey being the last; the carriages were later declared unsafe.
Fact:
Funds sanctioned in 2007-08
In the
2007-08 Railway budget, Rs. 6 crore funds were sanctioned for manufacturing a
new Presidential saloon. However, in 2008, President Pranab Mukherjee's
Secretariat rejected the plan, citing security concerns and also possible
disruption of passenger traffic.
New
Saloon: Proposed saloon offers protection, comfort, and connectivity
The proposed
Rs. 8cr railway saloon would be built on the German LHB design coach platform.
It will have
plasma TVs, GPS and GPRS systems, Immersat satellite antennas, 20-line
telephone exchange, modular kitchen, a public address system, and bulletproof
windows.
Northern
Railways' Chief Mechanical Engineer Arun Arora said the Railways will build the
saloon if the new President desires.
Types:
Railways inventory has four different saloons
Indian
Railways has 62 AC and 222 non-AC saloons for broad gauge tracks and two AC and
24 non-AC saloons for meter gauge tracks.
As they are
rarely used, their maintenance cost is marginal.
They can be
used as inspection coaches to reach accident sites and remote areas.
Separate
saloons are also maintained for the Ministers and senior officials of Railways.
Usage of
Saloons: Railway Minister and Ministers of State also use saloons
Responding to
an RTI query filed by activist Subhash Agrawal, the Railways said Railway
Minister and Ministers of State traveled 162 times in five years, up to Sep'16.
While Railway
Minister Suresh Prabhu traveled only 25 times in the saloon, Minister of State
Manoj Sinha, with 40 journeys, traveled the most.
Former
Railway Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge undertook only 32 journeys.
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