New Delhi, June 15: The Comptroller and Auditor General has pulled up the railways for failing to ensure maintenance and periodical overhauls of the imported 6000 hp locomotives, which it says cost the administration about Rs 95 crore.
"Failure of railway administration to ensure maintenance
and periodical overhaul (POh) requirement of eighteen 6000
hp WAG-6 locomotives imported at a cost of Rs 200 crore
resulted in their premature stabling,” the CAG report
presented in parliament said.
As a result, it said, the railway administration suffered
a loss of Rs 18.43 crore on account of avoidable procurement
of stores (spare parts) besides a loss of Rs 77.37 crore
towards earning capacity of these locos.
While six of these locos were bought from M/s ASEA,
Sweden, 12 locomotives were procured from M/s Hitachi from
Sumitomo Corporation, Japan.
In view of the difficulties, the railway board sent a
three member delegation headed by chief electrical engineer,
South Eastern Railway to Queensland Railway, Australia to
study maintenance and operational problems of locos similar
to WAG-6 which were in operation in Queensland Railway.
The delegation after its visit recommended entering into
an agreement with Queensland Railway for transfer of know-how
for maintenance of these locos, the CAG report said.
It also suggested sending a team of railway officers from
electrical stores and account departments to United Kingdom,
France, Germany and other European countries to identify
sources for supply of spares for these locos, it said.
Bureau Report
