India exporting metro coaches, railway bogies to Australia, Europe: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) India-made Metro coaches are being exported to Australia, while bogies are being sent to the UK, France, Australia and Saudi Arabia, reflecting the expanding footprint of the country's railways at the global level, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

He informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that India is supplying other rail equipment such as propulsion systems and bogies or underframes to multiple European countries such as France, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

"Today, from our country, metro coaches are being exported to Australia. The mechanical structure below the locomotive and coaches, which is called bogie or the underframe, is being exported to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France and Australia. Along with this the propulsion system, an important part of power electronics, is being now exported to France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany and Italy. It is a matter of great pride," Minister Vaishnaw said in a discussion on Railways Budget.

He also highlighted that 'Made in India' locomotives and passenger coaches are being exported to Mozambique, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"Soon, the Marhowra Factory in Bihar will export more than 100 locomotives will export more than 100 locomotives. Besides, forged wheels will also be exported from Tamil Nadu," he added.

The minister pointed out that the Bihar factory which was announced by Lalu Prasad when he was railway minister gained momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge in 2014.

Indian Railways is not only providing safe and quality services to passengers at affordable fares but is also making a distinct identity at the global level, the minister said.

He highlighted that Indian Railways is providing more subsidy to passengers as the cost of travel per km by train is Rs 1.38 but passengers are charged only 73 paise which works out to a 47 per cent subsidy.

The minister further stated that Indian Railways is much safer than before with a steep fall in the number of accidents on the national transporter.

--IANS