Assam to set up rail coach factory

Assam will soon have a rail coach manufacturing factory under public-private participation with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi saying it would create a lot of economic activity, including employment opportunities in the years to come.

Gogoi said the proposed rail coach manufacturing unit would be established at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore with the Railway Ministry as one of the promoters of the project. “It will be a joint venture company and the formalities will be completed within a few months,” Gogoi said. The new company that would be constituted would most likely be called Assam Wagon Production Limited, he said. He, however, refused to name the private partner of the proposed unit.

The state government has started looking for suitable land close to Guwahati to set up the proposed factory. Gogoi said the Assam government had earlier proposed to the Union Railway Ministry to set up a coach factory in the state. The decision to set up one in joint venture was taken following the Railway Ministry’s refusal to set up the unit on its own.

Meanwhile, Gogoi said he was not in favour of giving agricultural land for establishment of special economic zones in the state. “Our land is less because of rivers, forests and hills. We cannot afford to further shrink our valuable agricultural land for SEZs.”