It costs Rs 1 lakh per train, but the invisible top coat of paint can in fact repel these ugly stains and graffiti as well

It takes an astounding Rs 1.44 crore per year to clean all local trains thoroughly. For all that, almost every single train on Mumbai's suburban network, is dirty beyond compare embellished with paan stains and graffiti.

All that may soon change for the new rakes of the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC).

The Integral Coach Factory (ICF), which manufactures the new-age violet and white trains for the MRVC, will soon have an anti-graffiti and anti-stain coat of paint inside and outside their coaches.
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This will ensure that vandals can neither scrawl or paint graffiti inside the compartments nor spit paan on the exteriors.

The paint, which has been developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) of the Indian Railways, is based on nano technology and its acrylic finish acts as a veneer that repels pan stains and prevents writing.

Stain Bane: The acrylic-based paint will be applied on both the exterior and the interior of the new purple and white trains in a bid to cut prohibitive Rs 1.44 crore per year maintenance costs.

However, this will be effective only for new trains, not existing ones.

Expensive

The veneer is applied over the existing polyurethane paint and, thereby, acts as a protective coat, preventing the paint from flaking, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

But the exercise will be expensive Rs 1 lakh per train. This is in addition to the regular coat of paint, which also costs Rs 1 lakh per train.

To begin with, just five rakes on Central Railway and Western Railway will be painted with this veneer and will be ready to be used in a month.

"If we receive positive feedback about the coat of paint, we will carry out similar painting on other rakes as well, depending on the financial viability," said an ICF official.

He added, "We have been receiving feedback about miscreants writing graffiti on the walls of the coaches. The move was made with this in mind too."

'Disgusting'

Said Natasha Seth (22), who works in CA firm, "It becomes embarrassing for women when they come across graffiti in a train. And paan stains are completely disgusting.

We attempt new experiments, but then don't bother to continue the initiative. But having said that, this new paint seems a great idea."

Added Twinkle Singh, a housewife, who uses local trains infrequently, "Paan stains completely mar the beauty of the new trains and this initiative should help commuters."

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