250 train cars coming from Indonesia

To meet the demand of rail coaches for further passenger transport in the country 250 passenger cars with modern and special facilities are being collected from Indonesia.

Indonesian State-owned train maker PT Industri Kereta Api (Inka) said Bangladesh has ordered 250 extra strong train cars from the company.

“The train cars purchased by Bangladesh are larger with stronger structures and thicker walls and roofs. It is twice as strong as an ordinary train car,” said Inka finishing manager Agung Budiono on the sidelines of a visit by lawmakers to an Inka factory in Madiun, East Java on Thursday.

Such a specification was needed because when the trains were overcrowded, passengers would climb onto the roofs while the trains were travelling, Agung added.

Indonesian train users used to sit on the roof while traveling, particularly for short distance trips, but it is now strictly prohibited.

The train cars purchased by Bangladesh are larger and longer, as each train car has 90 seats, while the train cars used in Indonesia have 64 seats on average, said Agung, adding that a train in Bangladesh uses 22 train cars compared to the longest train in Indonesia, which uses 16 train cars.

Agung explained that the first shipment of 18 train cars is scheduled for November, comprising cars of economy class, executive class, restaurant train cars and sleeper train cars.

According to the project source, both broad gauge and meter gauge train cars are being collected under it. Taka 580 crore taka was allocated for 200 meter gauge train cars and 213 crore taka was allocated to purchase the rest 50 broad gauge train cars.

Source: The Jakarta Post

AH