This is intended to get over the problem of corrosion in the existing ICF coaches, on the one hand and incorporate other superior design features in vogue across the world, on the other hand. In the process, the existing ICF design coaches will be phased out and replaced by stainless steel coaches over a period of time as and when these are past their codal life having outlived their usefulness. The stainless steel coaches will enhance correspondingly passenger services with attendant travel comforts.

Such coaches will be equipped with upgraded furnishing materials like flooring, paneling, seat and berths upholstery and cushioning for aesthetically appealing coach interiors and colour scheme that may be an ocular delight to the passengers. Besides, it will have upgraded toilet fittings with improved illumination and ventilation. It will also have improved safety features like Centre Buffer Coupler for anti-climbing measure in the event of accidents to reduce casualties. Other features will include air springs in the suspension arrangement for superior riding comfort and fire retardant furnishing material on par with the global standards. These coaches, besides being passenger friendly and almost maintenance free, will render a longer service life.

The stainless steel coaches will be fitted in with controlled discharge or zero discharge environment friendly toilet systems to eliminate open defecation and maintain hygiene and sanitation in keeping with the Government's environment protection policy. Such coaches will also be provided with microprocessor controlled LED based Destination Boards to change easily desired train information at various terminals with a programmable remote controlled device. This device will be fitted in all mail and express trains.

Simultaneously, the railways are also developing state-of-the-art world class coaching maintenance facilities at major terminals. Such facilities will be integrated with preparation facilities like loading of linen, parcels, catering requirements, reservation charts and other compliments of on-board services. The maintenance facilities will have laser based wheel parameter recording system, vehicle overload and imbalance detector, hanging component detector, bogie performance detector, machine vision equipment for brake and suspension system, wheel data management system and some other related system to ensure efficient and hassle-free train services to the nation.

During the current Plan period, the railways have taken up introduction of triple stack containers trains with low height containers on diesel routes, design development of light weight corrosion resistant aluminium body wagons, design development of high capacity open and covered wagons for 25 and 32.5 tonne axle load, special purpose wagons for transportation of automobiles, fly ashes and other high rated commodities, track friendly bogies to reduce wear and tear of wheels and maintenance requirements, install online track side monitoring of rolling stock for automatic detection of defective coaches and wagons. In addition, the railways will upgrade its maintenance infrastructure for freight rolling stock to improve quality of repairs and develop world class detachment free freight examination point at select locations to improve turn around of rakes.

Added to these, modernization of telecom, signaling, electric locos, over head equipment and general electric services are underway to improve and provide safe and efficient rail services.

The 11th Plan period is also witnessing all round major strides in Information systems on the railways. These include development of “Ticket at Doorstep” for all classes of travel, Integrated Information System for providing updated information regarding train movement to rail users with access through different modes of communications, extension of Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) to all loading points, expansion of E-Payment, a comprehensive information system for the Dedicated Freight Corridor and strengthening of other Information Technology systems covering passenger and parcel business.

With an ambitious financial outlay of Rs.251,000 crore massive targets of the 11th Five Year Plan for modernization and expansion of rail network and augmentation of services, Planning Commission having reduced budgetary support, the ongoing economic down turn in the economy and the surplus generated during the last five years of the UPA Government having been wiped out considerably by the impact of the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and other factors like recession and growing input costs, it looks, bad days are ahead for Indian Railways to achieve its current Plan period targets unless it is able to mobilize resources on its own lest it should be dependent on heavy market borrowing bringing the Railways under the debt trap!#