(a) whether the Railways are manufacturing German Technology based LHB coaches for convenience of the passengers;
(b) if so, whether any action plan has been proposed for manufacturing thereof;
(c) if so, whether the Government proposed to put LHB coaches into service for the convenience of the passengers;
(d) if so, whether any time limit has been fixed by the Railways in this regard; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI K.H.MUNIYAPPA)
(a) Yes, Madam.
(b) Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala is manufacturing LHB (Linke Hoffman Busch)
coaches from the year 2001-02 and has produced 597 LHB coaches up to March 2009.
(c) to (e) LHB coaches were initially introduced in New Delhi - Lucknow
Shatabdi Express and subsequently in other Shatabdi and Rajdhani services. It is
planned to switch over all the remaining Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains, to be run
with LHB coaches in a phased manner, by 2010-11.