The long-pending demand for modernisation of the Central Railway Workshop (CRW) at Ashokapuram in the city, will materialise soon.
MP Pratap Simha on Tuesday, said that the modernisation and upgradation of the Mysuru CRW at Ashokapuram, at a cost of Rs 35.44 crore, will be completed in June.
Addressing a press meet after an inspection of the site, Simha said, “The upcoming new infrastructure will increase the augmentation of Periodic Over Hauling (POH) of railway coaches from 70 to 80 coaches per month, including LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches.”
“The workshop will undertake civil, electrical and mechanical works, involving industrial shop, administrative and other ancillary buildings, track works, electrification and illumination work of buildings, supply, procurement and commissioning of specified mechanical machineries, including repair and replacement of coach parts,” he added.
He said, at present there are 1,600 employees in the Ashokapuram workshop and the modernisation will create more employment opportunities.
The MP informed that the process to acquire 400 acres of land for the Satellite Railway Terminal for Mysuru at Naganahalli is under process.
Deputy Chief Engineer of the workshop B Ramesh Chandra said, “Stressing on green technology, the CRW at Myusru has already installed 500 kw solar PV roof-top panels, hence the workshop is self-reliant in power. In a month, the workshop’s power consumption of 53,000 units of power was obtained from solar energy and 33,000 units of power from CESC. The workshop has also installed a sewage treatment plant to re-use used water to clean railway coaches.”
Civil works like construction of compound and relocation of scrap yard, linking of rail lines and laying of tracks in grid areas, construction of HCR and CL shops, construction of office and stores for HCR and CL shop, construction of open gantry, construction of computer centre office over conference hall, construction of office building over the CWM’s office will be done, he informed.
Mechanical activities like supply, installation and commissioning of 60 tonne EOT cranes 10 tonne EOT cranes, winches, 50 tonne hydraulic press, 10 tonne road mobile crane and supply installation and commissioning of wielding plants will be done as part of modernisation.
Following several proposals, then railway minister Suresh Prabhu announced Rs 35 crore for the modernisation of the CRW at Ashokapuram in 2016.
In 1924, Ashokapuram workshop was established as a base for Mysuru State Railways. Later, it was expanded as a workshop in 1938, for the metre gauge rolling stock facility. In 1951, the workshop became an integral part of Southern Railways.
In 1993, it was changed into a broad-gauge coach periodic overhauling workshop. The workshop became a part of Southern Western Railways in 2003.