Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory, With 30 Per Cent Workforce, Rolls Out 10 LHB Coaches Amid Lockdown

The Rail Coach Factory (RCF) at Kapurthala in Punjab has manufactured 10 LHB coaches with only 30 per cent workforce amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

While eight AC LHB coaches are meant for regular train service, two non-AC coaches are fully ready for suburban trains, 35 coaches are in an advance stage of completion now.

The plant is operating with complete adherence to relaxation norms like social distancing protocol and sanitisation practices.

The coach factory equipped with the state-of-the-art technology resumed operation since 23 April with a minimum of 30 per cent of its total workforce, and now there are about 1,600 workers other than emergency staff working at the plant.

The emergency staff have been deployed for medical, water supply, cleaning, maintenance and security services.

We are going to start the second shift soon as more staff are likely to join the factory with the graded relaxation of lockdown in the offing, said RCF general manager R K Gupta.

Currently, those workers who are staying in the colony situated in the RCF campus are working at the facility.

Gupta said RCF is now in a position to manufacture two LHB coaches in a day despite the constraints of material supply and staff during the lockdown.

Referring to the near completion of 35 LHB coaches, he said some components are awaited, and once we have those materials all these coaches would be ready for roll out.

This unit of the Indian Railways has a capacity of producing nearly 2,000 coaches in a year.

Adhering to all safety precautions and guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and local administration, RCF had produced one LHB high-capacity parcel van and one luggage-cum-generator car in April-end.

The RCF is also in the process of manufacturing the first indigenous ventilator in the country for which a prototype is almost ready for trial.

"Since we are keeping the morale of the people high, now more and more workers are willing to return to work with further relaxations on the cards," Gupta said. He added, "currently about 32 staff are undergoing home quarantine as a precaution while those coming to work are maintaining the social distancing protocol and following all safety and hygiene guidelines at their work place."