Armed forces to procure 210 AC coaches

Kolkata : Forty additional AC 2-tier and 170 AC 3-Tier coaches would be procured in the next few years as part of the initiatives for ensuring military personnel travel in comfort, the Annual Move Conference of the Indian armed forces here was told Thursday.

“After the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, all troops are entitled to travel in air-conditioned class. Keeping that in mind, the additional AC coaches are being procured. The AC 2-tier coaches will be procured in the next couple of years and the AC 3-tier coaches will need three-four years,” a defence source said.

Six new ambulance trains and five ward coaches will also be procured.

Rail, air and sea operational movement plans for the armed forces are currently under revision taking into account the varied transportation needs of personnel and hardware.

The conference discussed a slew of initiatives including improvement of rail tracks on sandy terrains in the western and south-western sector to overcome speed restraints, enabling swifter induction and de-induction movements on war footing.

“Major initiatives are on the anvil that will help reduce troop mobilisation period during operational induction and de-induction,” Additional Director General (Movement), Major General M.S. Sidhu, said at the inaugural session of the conference at the Embarkation Headquarters here.