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Mamuni Das

Needs to import 40,000 wheels to meet wagon procurement target

New Delhi , May 23

Indian Railways is likely to resume importing wheels this year onwards and import about 40,000 wheels.

Since the last two years, the IR had not been importing wheels, as the Union Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad, was keen that Railways should meet its wheel requirements through indigenous production capacity.

However, given the high growth and high rolling stock requirement of Railways, Mr Prasad is learnt to have agreed to allow import of wheels for the next two-three years— till the wheel production capacity within the country goes up.

The Railways is in the process of setting up wheel and axle plant at Chhapra in Bihar.

Highest-ever order

IR plans to place its highest ever wagon procurement order for 30,000 four wheeler unit (FWUs) wagons this financial year.

"Railways would import wheels in significant numbers for two-three years, till the wheel plant at Chhapra comes up," said official sources.

They added that even after 2-3 years, Railways would continue importing special wheels required for some locomotives, which cannot be manufactured in India.

Needs 40,000 wheels

A Parliamentary Committee has pointed out that IR needs to import 40,000 wheels if it has to meet its target of acquiring 30,000 FWU wagons during the fiscal. To meet its target of wagon procurement, Railways requires around 2,40,000 wheels during the 2006-07.

The total manufacturing capacity in the country is about 200,000 wheels, which would result in a shortage of 40,000 wheels. The Committee has "desired" that the decision with regard to import of wheel requirement be decided at the earliest so that wagon manufacturing doesn't get affected.

In 2005-06, a total of about 15,458 wagons were manufactured (till February 2006). Wagon production target for 2005-06 was revised downwards from 23,300 wagons to 18,000 wagons due to the poor performance of most of the public sector units and some private manufacturers as well.

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