Indian Railways sets record in rolling out German-technology LHB coaches
NEW DELHI: Indian Railways (IR), giving top priority to passenger safety, has set a record in the manufacturing of LHB coaches over the past decade. During the current financial year 202526 alone, up to November 2025, more than 4,224 LHB coaches have been produced to ensure passenger safety during journeys. Sharing details with the media on Sunday, the Ministry of Railways said that between 2014 and 2025, Indian Railways manufactured more than 42,600 LHB coaches, marking nearly an 18-fold increase over the 2,300 coaches produced between 2004 and 2014. This expansion underscores the sustained focus on modernising passenger rolling stock through wider adoption of LHB coaches, known for their superior safety standards and lower maintenance requirements, a senior ministry official said. Providing a factory-wise break-up of recent production figures, the official added, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai has produced 1,659 LHB coaches, followed by Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli with 1,234 coaches and Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala with 1,331 coaches, collectively contributing to the overall growth in LHB coach production. The official said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw continues to closely monitor progress in LHB coach manufacturing, which ensures high safety levels during derailments or accidents as they are built using German technology. He added that Indian Railways continues to contribute significantly to the goals of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives by strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and reducing dependence on imports. The organisation is focused on further increasing production capacity to meet the growing mobility requirements of the country while providing safer, smoother, and more comfortable travel experiences for passengers. In addition, the official noted that Indian Railways is close to completing electrification of almost its entire broad-gauge network, with more than 99 percent already electrified and the remaining sections expected to be completed soon. Between 2019 and 2025, over 33,000 route kilometres were electrified, averaging more than 15 route km per day. The total distance electrified during this period alone is almost equal to the entire railway network of Germany, highlighting the scale and seriousness of Indias efforts to expand clean and efficient rail traction. He added that Indias broad-gauge rail network is now nearly fully electrified, with 99.2 percent coverage across 25 states and Union Territories.
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