The lockdown clamped in view of the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the manufacture of two new steam locomotives meant for the Nilgiri Mountain Railway at the Golden Rock Railway Workshop here.
With production of new steam locomotives yet to commence in view of the restrictions imposed owing to COVID-19, workshop authorities say the dispatch of the first loco may take a long time in the present scenario.
The Railway Board, New Delhi, had entrusted the over 80-year-old workshop with the task of manufacturing two new steam locomotives – one oil fired and another coal fired – for operation in the scenic Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
Although raw materials required for the production of the steam locomotives were arranged earlier, the COVID-19 lockdown disrupted the entire manufacturing plan process, say the authorities.
The workshop which has been carrying out periodic overhaul of passenger coaches and diesel locomotives besides manufacturing container wagons for the Container Corporation of India remained shut for over 40 days from late March in view of the lockdown.
It was only early this month that the workshop, with its total workforce strength exceeding 4,000 employees, resumed operations with 50 % of staff and with restricted timings. In view of COVID-19 spread, the workshop has been functioning from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. since then. Night shift has not been allowed as a precautionary measure.
The workshop already has in its stable two in-service steam locomotives of Nilgiri Mountain Railway that had come for periodic overhaul before the lockdown.
The authorities say they have to carry out at first a periodic overhaul of the existing steam locomotives before taking up manufacture of the two new steam locomotives owing to restricted workforce strength and timings.
They expect the first periodically overhauled steam loco to be dispatched in July after which the second loco would be taken up for overhauling.
The manufacture of a new steam locomotive would take at least six months, says Chief Workshop Manager Shyamadhar Ram adding that the first loco is expected to roll out early next year in view of the prevailing situation.
Further testing and trials would have to be done before dispatching the new locos. The new steam locos would be manufactured at a cost of ₹8.5 crore. Originally, the first of the two locos was scheduled to roll out by December.
Post resumption of work early this month, the workshop has dispatched 28 broad gauge passenger coaches after carrying out periodic overhauling with restricted workforce.
