A huge portion of the job orders given to Coimbatore for supplying equipment needed by the railways are going to northern states like Gujarat, U.P. and Maharashtra, sources shared. 

Coimbatore-based industries are one of the major suppliers of equipment like Point Machine required by Railways. Point Machines are devices for operating railway turnouts especially at a distance. 1 point machine is priced at Rs. 1.2 lakh.

Podanur workshop in Coimbatore usually sends 10,000 of these machines to railways every month, generating business worth Rs. 10 crore. But recently, Coimbatore receives job orders for just 4,000 point machines. 

President of Railway Suppliers' Association (RASA) S.Surulivel told Hindu Tamil Thisai that many States including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana have started receiving the work orders that were given to Coimbatore.

He appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to reduce the Electricity charges, and solve the issues of labour shortage and raw material prices, so that industries here can fight the competition from other States.

Image : Representational l Info : Hindu Tamil