How Chennai's ICF became a global success | The Hindu

The integral coach factory in Chennai has been producing train coaches since 1955.
From manufacturing 350 units per year, now it rolls out over 4,000 coaches annually.
This caters to domestic and international demands.
ICF is one of independent India’s earliest and native production units.

It was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The unit is spread over 511 acres and employs about 10,000 persons.

It is one of the largest coach-making units in the world.

Despite restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICF manufactured 3,100 coaches in 2021-22. As of June 2022, it has produced over 69,200 coaches.

It exports shells and components to Thailand, Myanmar, Taiwan, Zambia, The Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Malaysia, Angola and Sri Lanka.

As a landmark achievement, ICF developed ‘Train 18' in 2018.

Train 18 took 18 months to be manufactured and hence got its name.

This train was set to replace 30-year-old Shatabdi Express, which takes 15% longer for the same journey.

It is India’s first semi-high-speed train with an operating speed of 160 kmph.

This was flagged off as ‘Vande Bharat Express’ between Delhi and Varanasi in 2018.

The 16-coach ‘Gati Shakti’ train is also being manufactured at ICF. These trains will run at 160 km/hour. They are expected to be introduced by December 2022.

The ICF is the only organisation in Indian Railways that has completely neutralised greenhouse gas emission due to its industrial activity and achieved a Carbon Negative status.

It is also a zero-discharge factory, making it a ‘Green Workshop’.
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Voiceover & Production: Ananyaa Desikan
Reporting: S. Vijay Kumar

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