Coaches of five more long distance express trains have been given a complete facelift under Project Utkrisht at different railway workshops in the State.
The over 80-year-old Golden Rock Railway Workshop in Tiruchi, one of the three establishments identified by the Railway Board to execute the task, has refurbished 21 coaches of the five trains under this project.
Rameswaram - Tirupati Express, Coimbatore - Mannargudi Chemmozhi Express, Tambaram - Nagercoil Superfast Express, Puducherry - Kanniyakumari and Ernakulam - Nizamuddin Express were the trains chosen under this project this time with their coaches sent to the Carriage Works, Perambur, Loco Works, Perambur, and Golden Rock Railway Workshop in Tiruchi.
A senior railway officer said coaches of these trains were apportioned to the three workshops to revamp them so as to make them look brighter and by carrying out required modifications in them.
In all, 86 coaches of the five trains were taken up for revamp, of which 35 were sent to Carriage Works, Perambur, 21 to Golden Rock Railway Workshop, and 18 to Loco Works, Perambur.
21 coaches rolled out
The officer said the Tiruchi workshop had rolled out all the 21 coaches which had come for upgradation under Project Utkrisht.
A slew of works were carried out as part of giving the coaches a total facelift which includes provision of PVC flooring and provision of high quality vinyl wrapping in the doorway and gangway areas. The exteriors of the coaches were given a fresh coat of polyurethane painting to make it bright.
Project Utkrisht is an initiative of the Railway Board, aimed at upgrading coaches for passenger comfort.
The Tiruchi workshop had already upgraded some coaches of the Tiruchi - Howrah - Tiruchi expresses, Chennai - Kanniyakumari and Rameswaram - Okha expresses under this project. The refurbished coaches were manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. The officer said the Tiruchi workshop was expected to receive more coaches for upgradation as the Southern Railway had been allotted 64 rakes of various trains this fiscal.
