Title - Sanpada, Kurla sheds to clear rake service backlog

Mumbai: The Central Railway (CR) has begun work to create a set-up for Periodic Overhauling (POH) of Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) coaches at Sanpada carshed. It has also planned a similar facility at the Kurla car-shed to clear the backlog of 250 coaches, whose POH has been delayed beyond the set period.
    On July 26, TOI had highlighted that nearly 250 coaches are in service despite their POH being due. In June 2012, the commissioner of railway safety, Central Circle, had expressed displeasure at the scenario, which compromises safety of commuters and smooth running of services.
    Subodh Jain, general manager of CR said, “The backlog has been created as large number of Siemens-manufactured rakes had been introduced at the same time. Hence, their POH was due around the same time and infrastructure at the Matunga workshop was inadequate to handle these many rakes.
    The CR has invited tenders for POH-related work of mechanical items at Sanpada at an estimated cost of Rs 3.20 crore for 24 coaches. It aims to carry out the POH of another equivalent number of coaches at the Kurla carshed. Setting up of such facilities at Kurla and Sanpada car-sheds in a couple of months is bound to ease the pressure on the Matunga workshop.
    Jain said that at Matunga workshop, POH of nearly 60 coaches was done in June as compared to 55 in the pervious month. The CR aims to undertake the POH of at least 70 coaches per month from August at Matunga, which will help faster clearance of the backlog. Maintenance of coaches of long-distance trains too is carried out at the Matunga Workshop.