The Railway Board has decided to send a two-member expert team "on deputation to North America, Europe and Australia for development of bogie, coupler and other freight components".

While one member of the expert team is the financial advisor and chief accounts officer in East Coast Railway, the other is a senior divisional operations manager in South Eastern Railway.

According to the Board's letter dated October 18, these two officers were nominated by the member (finance) and the member (operation and business development) of the Railway Board.

"It is requested to direct the aforesaid officials to furnish in the proforma enclosed herewith to enable further processing of the case," the letter, addressed to the general managers of both the zones, said.

However, the move has invited criticism from a section of experts, who said the team identified consisted of one non-technical as well as one junior traffic officer.

"It would have been more appropriate for very senior Railway Board officers, who could have contributed more than the present nominated team -- having almost zero experience on various types of freight movement, bogie requirement as well as the conditions in which they would be used and maintained -- to participate in such a visit," said Animesh Gupta, decision scientist and ex-president & group CLO (chief learning officer) with Jindal Steel.

According to Gupta, during a conference meeting of ASSOCHAM in New Delhi in August, there was complete discussion on the new types of wagons as well as retrofitting locos and passenger coaches.

"CRISIL has published a report -- 'Modernisation of Railways for Viksit Bharat' -- which clearly mentioned the new smart locos, tilting trains, wagon, design and modernisation. A new design for Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains, LHB (Linke-Hofmann-Busch) was discussed briefly," Gupta said, questioning the necessity to send a team of non-technical experts to study mechanical design aspects.