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At the time of integration of the Indian Railway system in 1952, there were 41
repair workshops dealing with periodic overhaul of coaches, wagons and
locomotives. Day-to-day repairs were handled in over 300 repair depots and sick
lines.
The last quarter century of planned development of Indian Railways has
witnessed extensive changes in the mode of traction as well as development of
new types of coaches and wagons. Diesel and electric locomotives have
gradually replaced steam locomotives. The number of passenger coaches in
service has almost doubled. The wagon stock holding is roughly 2.5 times
that in 1951. Financial limitations, however, did not permit development
of maintenance facilities compatible with the growth of rolling stock.
Only 5 new workshops have been set up since 1952. The increased
demand for maintenance was largely catered by piece-meal expansion of the
existing facilities. Expenditure on workshops in this period was less
than 2.5% of the total plan outlay on the railways. Nevertheless, to meet
the requirement of new rolling stock, three new production workshops were set
up.
The problems encountered in manufacture and maintenance of the rolling stock is
largely due to obsolescence of machinery and plant, diverse product mix and
layout deficiencies. The situation in respect of machinery and plant is a
source of major concern. The proportion of overage machines in 1979 had
increased to 77% from 47% in 1952. Due to paucity of available
maintenance funds, an agreement was negotiated with the International
Development Association of the World Bank for providing a credit of $95m for
the first phase of workshop modernisation programme expected to be completed by
March 1983. Second and third phases of another 7 years envisage an
estimated expenditure of Rs.400 crores inclusive of IDA Credits.
The unprecedented magnitude of this effort prompted the Indian Railways to set
up a specialist organisation wholly devoted to the furtherance of this
task. Thus the Central Organisation for Modernisation of Workshops
(COFMOW) came into existence in 1978 to implement the modernisation programme
Cofmow is now the designated organisation of Indian Railways for selection,
procurement and induction of modern workshop technologies and M&P. |
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