News Analysis India

Tag: indian railways

  • Railways conducts test run of its longest freight train carrying 27,000 tonnes of coal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Railways conducted a test run of the 3.5-km-long freight train, Super Vasuki, with 295 loaded wagons carrying over 27,000 tonnes of coal between Korba in Chhattisgarh and Rajnandgao in Nagpur on August 15, as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.

    The train run by the South East Central Railway left Korba at 13:50 and took 11.20 hours to cover the distance of 267 km.

    This is the longest and heaviest freight train ever run by the Railways, the national transporter said, adding the train takes about four minutes to cross a station.

    The amount of coal carried by Super Vasuki is enough to fire 3000 MW of power plant for one full day, officials said.

    This is three times the capacity of existing railway rakes (90 cars with 100 tonnes in each) which carries about 9,000 tonnes of coal in one journey.

    The train was formed by amalgamating five rakes of goods trains as one unit.

    The Railways plans to use this arrangement (longer freight trains) more frequently, especially to transport coal in peak demand season to prevent fuel shortages of power stations, the officials said.

    Earlier this year, coal shortages had pushed the country into a severe power crisis.

    NEW DELHI: The Railways conducted a test run of the 3.5-km-long freight train, Super Vasuki, with 295 loaded wagons carrying over 27,000 tonnes of coal between Korba in Chhattisgarh and Rajnandgao in Nagpur on August 15, as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.

    The train run by the South East Central Railway left Korba at 13:50 and took 11.20 hours to cover the distance of 267 km.

    This is the longest and heaviest freight train ever run by the Railways, the national transporter said, adding the train takes about four minutes to cross a station.

    The amount of coal carried by Super Vasuki is enough to fire 3000 MW of power plant for one full day, officials said.

    This is three times the capacity of existing railway rakes (90 cars with 100 tonnes in each) which carries about 9,000 tonnes of coal in one journey.

    The train was formed by amalgamating five rakes of goods trains as one unit.

    The Railways plans to use this arrangement (longer freight trains) more frequently, especially to transport coal in peak demand season to prevent fuel shortages of power stations, the officials said.

    Earlier this year, coal shortages had pushed the country into a severe power crisis.

  • First time in history! Indian Railways get record proposals for start-ups

    By Express News Service

    As the nation celebrates 75 years of Independence, the Indian Railways (IR) for the first time in its history has received more than two hundred proposals from several quarters for start-ups to solve railway problems.

    The railways received the highest number of 43 proposals for solving the problem of the ‘Broken Rail Detection System’ (BRDS), which is one of the highly important fronts of railway safety.

    After the ‘Broke Rail Detection System’, the second number of 42 proposals of start-up has been received for solving and working on the development of an online Condition Monitoring system for traction motors of 3-phase electric locomotives.

    Sharing details with The New Indian Express, chief spokesperson of the Ministry of Railway Rajiv Jain said that a total of 297 proposals for start-ups have been received by the railway to solve 11 problems.

    “After the Broken Rail Detection System and the online Condition Monitoring, the railway has received 41 proposals on developing App for post-training revision and self-service refresher course, 40 proposals to solve problems on track inspection technologies for accurate inspections and 39 proposals for developing the analytical tool by using digital data for improving passengers services,” Jain said.

    Similarly, the railways also received 27 proposals to solve problems regarding the use of remote sensing Geometrics and GIS for bridge inspection, which will help the railway to conduct inspections through the latest technologies. 

    The most interesting is that 11 proposals have been received from across the country for manufacturing lightweight wagons for transporting commodities, like salt and others. Besides, 21 proposals have come to solve proposals on ‘Rail Stress Monitoring System and 9 proposals have come to design of superior Elastomeric Pad for heavy haul freight. A total of 20 proposals on Track cleaning Machines have been received on which front railway faces a lot of problems in keeping tracks clean from the drop of waste.

    As the nation celebrates 75 years of Independence, the Indian Railways (IR) for the first time in its history has received more than two hundred proposals from several quarters for start-ups to solve railway problems.

    The railways received the highest number of 43 proposals for solving the problem of the ‘Broken Rail Detection System’ (BRDS), which is one of the highly important fronts of railway safety.

    After the ‘Broke Rail Detection System’, the second number of 42 proposals of start-up has been received for solving and working on the development of an online Condition Monitoring system for traction motors of 3-phase electric locomotives.

    Sharing details with The New Indian Express, chief spokesperson of the Ministry of Railway Rajiv Jain said that a total of 297 proposals for start-ups have been received by the railway to solve 11 problems.

    “After the Broken Rail Detection System and the online Condition Monitoring, the railway has received 41 proposals on developing App for post-training revision and self-service refresher course, 40 proposals to solve problems on track inspection technologies for accurate inspections and 39 proposals for developing the analytical tool by using digital data for improving passengers services,” Jain said.

    Similarly, the railways also received 27 proposals to solve problems regarding the use of remote sensing Geometrics and GIS for bridge inspection, which will help the railway to conduct inspections through the latest technologies. 

    The most interesting is that 11 proposals have been received from across the country for manufacturing lightweight wagons for transporting commodities, like salt and others. Besides, 21 proposals have come to solve proposals on ‘Rail Stress Monitoring System and 9 proposals have come to design of superior Elastomeric Pad for heavy haul freight. A total of 20 proposals on Track cleaning Machines have been received on which front railway faces a lot of problems in keeping tracks clean from the drop of waste.

  • Indian railways commence week-long iconic celebration ‘Aazadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Stations’

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As part of the ongoing nationwide celebration of 75 years of independence, the Indian Railways started a week-long iconic celebration called “Aazadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Stations” on Monday with much fanfare. This iconic celebration will continue till July 23 at 75 selected railway stations, associated with the freedom struggle. 

    Sharing details, ADGPR Railway Rajiv Jain said that the iconic celebration will throw light on the railway stations and the trains having historical importance.

    “VK Tripathy, CEO-cum-chairman of Railway Board, inaugurated the week-long iconic celebration virtually from Rail Bhawan. The railway has identified 75 railway stations and 27 trains that are associated with the freedom struggle, “Jain said.

    Tripathy, after inaugurating this first-of-its-kind activity in the railways, said: “As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the event called ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Stations” will be held during the week marked as iconic week ensuring ‘Jan-Bhagidari’ (people’s participation)”. 

    Through this kind of event, the railway will showcase the convergence of the values and glories of the freedom struggle with the aspirations and dreams of a young and iconic India.

    Dwelling upon the event, Jain further said that 75 railway stations have been identified as ‘Freedom Stations’ across 24 states, while 27 trains for spotlighting.

    A number of cultural activities, including street plays in local languages, light and sound shows and screening of video films and rendering of patriotic songs, would be organised for a week.

    At each of 75 identified ‘Freedom-Stations’, the railway has set up ‘selfi points’ in the backdrop of ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi’ and on July 23, 22 family members of freedom fighters from the respective areas will be invited to the stations to recall and share their stories.

    “One of the memorable activities is that 27 identified trains will be flagged off by freedom fighters’ family from the originating stations of concerned trains,” said Jain.

    NEW DELHI: As part of the ongoing nationwide celebration of 75 years of independence, the Indian Railways started a week-long iconic celebration called “Aazadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Stations” on Monday with much fanfare. This iconic celebration will continue till July 23 at 75 selected railway stations, associated with the freedom struggle. 

    Sharing details, ADGPR Railway Rajiv Jain said that the iconic celebration will throw light on the railway stations and the trains having historical importance.

    “VK Tripathy, CEO-cum-chairman of Railway Board, inaugurated the week-long iconic celebration virtually from Rail Bhawan. The railway has identified 75 railway stations and 27 trains that are associated with the freedom struggle, “Jain said.

    Tripathy, after inaugurating this first-of-its-kind activity in the railways, said: “As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the event called ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Stations” will be held during the week marked as iconic week ensuring ‘Jan-Bhagidari’ (people’s participation)”. 

    Through this kind of event, the railway will showcase the convergence of the values and glories of the freedom struggle with the aspirations and dreams of a young and iconic India.

    Dwelling upon the event, Jain further said that 75 railway stations have been identified as ‘Freedom Stations’ across 24 states, while 27 trains for spotlighting.

    A number of cultural activities, including street plays in local languages, light and sound shows and screening of video films and rendering of patriotic songs, would be organised for a week.

    At each of 75 identified ‘Freedom-Stations’, the railway has set up ‘selfi points’ in the backdrop of ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi’ and on July 23, 22 family members of freedom fighters from the respective areas will be invited to the stations to recall and share their stories.

    “One of the memorable activities is that 27 identified trains will be flagged off by freedom fighters’ family from the originating stations of concerned trains,” said Jain.

  • Indian Railways prepares policy to encourage entrepreneurs 

    By Express News Service

    VIJAYAWADA: Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Shivendra Mohan said the Indian Railways think-tank, as part of the Make in India initiative, has identified 11 problematic areas and devised a startup policy to support companies with ideal solutions and financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore, making them a part of the Railways’ success story along with safeguarding of their Intellectual Property Rights on the project.

    Speaking to media persons at his office here on Tuesday, Shivendra Mohan said that after the selection of innovative solutions by the evaluation committee, prototype trails will be conducted by the Railways and after successful results, funding to the tune of Rs 3 crore would be provided for wide scale implementation of the project. He said that this is a first of its kind idea by the Railways and a opportunity for young entrepreneurs.

  • Indian Railways flags off first train under Bharat Gaurav scheme

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Southern Railway on Tuesday became the first zone in Indian Railways to get thefirst registered service provider under the “ Bharat Gaurav” scheme with the start of the first service of the theme-based Bharat Guarav train between Coimbatore and Shirdi Sainagar.

    The first service of theme-based Bharat Gaurav train started with bookings of 1100 passengers for this maiden round-trip service. Sharing this, ADG PR Railway Rajeev Jain said that the Bharat Gaurav train has been granted stoppage at Mantralayam road station for 5 hours to facilitate holy darshan at Mantralayama temple en route to Sainagar Shirdi from Coimbatore.

    “It will take two days in covering the distance between Coimbatore and Sainagar Shirdi with approved stoppages at Wadi, Dharamavaram, Yelahanka, Salem, Erode and Tiruppur on return from Shirdi”, Jain said. Detailing about the composition of train, Jain said that one AC1, 2 of AC2, 8 of 3A coaches and 5 sleepernon-AC coaches with a pantry car have been provided in the composition of 20 coaches of this Bharat Guarav Train.

    The registered service provider-South Star Rail will operate this train as it is a registered company.“This service provider has paid Rs 1 crore as security deposit to Southern Railway for the rake of 20 coaches. Besides this, the company has paid Rs 27.79 lakh for annual right to use charges and quarterly fixed haulage charges of Rs 76.77 lakh”, Jain said, adding that the Southern Railway will get an earningof Rs 3.34 crore per annum from the operation of this train.

    He said that the service provider has refurbished the interiors of coaches and all the coaches will be manned with round-the-clock cleaning staff and whole teams of professionals.

    “The public address system has been installed in each coach for regular communication, paying deviational songs and mantras during the journey. There will be a doctor onboard to attend an emergency and private securities personnel in addition to the RPF cops”, said Jain.

    The service of a radio jockey has also been installed in this train to keep the passengers entertained during the journey. The Indian Railway had launched the Bharat Gaurav train in November 2021 with anobjective to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places.

  • Senior citizens distraught over Railways’ decision to permanently remove train fare concession

    Express News Service

    BENGALURU: The decision by Indian Railways to permanently withdraw the concession in train fares for senior citizens has upset the beneficiaries thoroughly. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who had specified this in the Lok Sabha in a written reply in March this year, reiterated this at a press meet in Chennai last week.  With normalcy returning to travel across sectors, seniors were hoping their subsidised travel withdrawn on health and safety grounds during COVID-19 from March 2020 would be restored.CPI MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam on Monday urged the Railway Minister to restore it as crores of senior citizens have been affected due to its withdrawal.Senior citizens have enjoyed this privilege for decades with men (60 years and above) given a 40% discount on the train ticket and women (58 years and above) given 50% on it. The Minister in his briefing stated that the move would not be restored as Railways was already operating at a subsidised rate with Rs 45 only collected from any passenger for every Rs 100 spent towards operational expenses.TNIE spoke to a cross-section of senior citizens to gauge the mood. 74-year-old R Rajammal is upset over the move. “There are very few privileges we are given as seniors. This was an important one and it must be brought back. It just shows that the government does not value its elderly. We travel far less compared to youngsters,” she said.67-year-old K.N. Krishnaprasad, also a vocal rail activist said, “I really hope better sense prevails on the Indian Railways soon. It is never nice to withdraw some benefit or concession already provided. The huge concession on train fare is the main reason seniors prefer train fare over airfare.”Senior citizen Anil Verma, who had reached Cantonment railway station on Monday from Palakkad said, “I can afford the full fare and so have never availed the concession. But countless elders use them daily. It is in the interests of all that it needs to be restored.”An elderly couple who had arrived in the City from Chennai wished for it. “I will really be relieved and happy if it is restored,” said A Lalitha, a homemaker. Her husband, C S Padmanabhan, a retired banker said, “We had to pay Rs 600 each for our AC 3-tier ticket for this trip. It used to be Rs 450 for me and Rs 400 for my wife earlier.”Asked about it, Chief Public Relations Officer, South Western Railway Zone, Aneesh Hegde said, “It is a policy decision by the Railways. The Zone is adhering to it. However,  we still provide concessions to four categories of Divyangjans, eleven categories of patients and students.”  

  • Over 50,000 ‘Karma Yogis’ to assist railway passengers in stations

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Indian Railways has trained 51,000 frontline railway employees as ‘Karma Yogis’ to assist passengers during their journey.

    The karma-yogis will take the passengers to GRP or the RPF in case of any offence is committed against them during the journey. They will also make medical arrangements for the passengers who are injured or fall ill during the journey. The Karma-yogis will also inform the passengers about the booking of current tickets at the railway stations and safe payment methods and will share the correct information about the arrival and departure of trains with those who struggle with digital displays or loudspeaker announcements at stations.

    Sharing this on Thursday, ADG PR (Railway) Rajiv Jain said that 51,000 frontline railway employees have so far been trained under the Mission Karmyogi to be deputed at points at railway stations to assist the passengers. “The Indian Railways is working on a plan to prepare a pool of 1 lakh of well-trained Karma Yogis to assist passengers with due hospitality and humility”, Jain said. 

    Quoting details, he further said that the project of Karmayogi seeks to train about 1 lakh frontline railway employees in six months. The railway is increasing the number of master trains from 68 divisions to train other frontline employees as Karma Yogis at the Indian Railway Institute of Transports Management. There are nearly 7000 railway stations in the country and the railway has a plan to depute its frontline trained employees as Karma yogis at each station to assist the passengers. 

  • Indian Railways to build platform facilities for runaway kids

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The ‘nobody’s children’ that you often see loitering around railway platforms have a hope. The Indian Railways is working on creating child-friendly spaces at all important platforms in association with Hope for the Children Foundation (HFCF). 

    One such facility already exists at Pune railway station, where children recovered from platforms are counseled. Minister of State for Railways Darshana Jardosh said more such facilities for underprivileged kids were in the offing. These facilities will offer child-friendly entertainment, games and a home-like atmosphere.

    According to railway sources, in four months of this year alone, the Railway Protection Force has recovered 2,201 children loitering in and around railway areas and travelling in trains in a suspicious manner. These children have been handed over to their parents after counseling. Most of these children fled their homes over petty issues.

    In 2021, the RPF recovered 11,900 such children. “We need to have home-like spaces at railway stations where the children recovered by RPF should be kept in an amiable atmosphere. We can hand over these children to their parents after counseling,” said a senior railway official.

  • Power crisis: Indian Railways deploys 86 per cent of its open wagons for coal transportation

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: To counter the electricity crisis in the country, the Railways has deployed 86 per cent of its open wagons to transport coal to various power plants in the country, sources said on Wednesday.

    Out of the 1,31,403 BOXN or open wagons in its fleet, the Railways is using 1,13,880 for coal transportation, as part of a plan formulated by the national transporter in consultation with the ministries of coal and power, they said.

    Data shows the Railways has around 3,82,562 wagons, out of which 1,31,403 are open wagons and 3,636 of whom are in need of repair as of May 2.

    Daily, the Railways is loading an average of around 28,470 wagons with coal to meet the demand from power plants.

    A coal train usually gets up to 84 wagons.

    The Railways has also used an innovative method of using long-haul trains — running three to five trains together — at 122 locations in states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to expedite transportation.

    In marathon meetings with top officials of the three ministries, around 18 key points have been identified in the transportation of coal.

    This includes the detention of rakes during coal loading and unloading which is taking more than 10 days in some cases, sources said.

    The situation, sources say is such that the Railways is even put into action around 40-50 damaged wagons in operation to move coal.

    Officials said to expedite the movement of coal rakes, the Railways has also increased the operating duration of rakes by 2,500 km.

    This means that the rakes which were earlier treated for wear and tear after every 7,500 km are now sent to the garage after 10,000 km, giving them more running time.

    The trains which have a loading capacity of around 71 MT are now carrying at least a tonne of extra load.

    Sources indicate that this focus on coal is affecting the transportation of steel and aluminium.

    The steel industry is also facing a shortage of BOXN rakes for the movement of imported coking coal from ports like Paradip and Dharma to steel plants, they said.

    In 2021-22, the Railways transported 653 million tonnes (MT) of coal, around 20.4 per cent higher than in 2020-21.

    Around 46 per cent of the railways’ total freight cargo in 2021-22 comprised coal.

    Of the 653 MT of coal transported by the railways, around 83 per cent, or around 540.4 MT, was to thermal power plants.

    The remaining was to foundries of different manufacturing units.

    According to railway ministry data, nearly 95 per cent of coal transported by the railways comes from Coal India’s reserves while the remaining is imported.

    “With our focus on ensuring that we transport coal to power plants to ensure that there are no blackouts in the country, loading of other commodities are bound to suffer.

    “This has affected passenger trains as well. It is a matter of priority and a calculated decision has been taken,” said an official in the ministry.

  • Railway cancels 22 more trains serving Chhattisgarh, CM Baghel’s plea go “unheeded”

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Congress-ruled Bhupesh government is peeved of getting ignored as the Indian Railways not just “turned a blind eye” to the state’s plea to resume 10 special passenger trains but instead went ahead cancelling 22 more trains that either originate or pass through Chhattisgarh state.

    Early this month the Railways decided to suspend the operation of 10 special passenger trains affecting the commuters of Chhattisgarh following which the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed his strong displeasure.

    The Congress leaders said that it was on the eve of Navratri festival the 10 trains were suspended leading to huge problems faced by the devotees during the festive season. “It exposed BJP’s ideology that claims to promote values of Hindu religion. Now surprisingly again 22 trains were cancelled. Centre is insensitive to the ordeal faced by the worshippers, students, commuters who travel mostly by train daily”, averred RP Singh Congress spokesperson.

    On the CM’s direction then additional chief secretary (ACS) Subrat Sahoo on April 5 wrote to the chairman and chief executive officer of the Railway Board seeking resumption of these trains narrating the problems faced by the commuters.

    However, the Board instead of heeding to the request had further cancelled another 22 passenger trains including around a dozen long-distance mails and express. Six out of 22 originate from Chhattisgarh state. Sahoo again shot a letter to the Board to cancel the order issued by the principal chief operations manager (SECR) saying that the “state’s request was being ignored”.

    “Such decisions are absolutely anti-people”, said CM Baghel.

    “We got the order from the Railway Board. Another twenty-two passenger trains have been cancelled from April 24 for a month. No reason specified by the Board”, Saket Ranjan, chief public relations officer, SECR zone, told this newspaper.

    The ruling Congress are exasperated citing two reasons: the Railways apparently ignored the plea of the Chhattisgarh government and none of the nine BJP Lok Sabha MPs (out 11 LS members in the state) raised the concern before the Centre.

    The state BJP leaders though admitted the cancellation of trains will lead to problems for the people. “Trains shouldn’t have been cancelled during the marriage season and summer vacation”, said Sunil Soni, Raipur BJP MP.

    “The party leaders intend to discuss the issue with the railway minister. When it comes to people’s welfare or public interest, it’s the priority that matters for us more than the party. We will take up the issue”, stated Dharamlal Kaushik, Chhattisgarh’s leader of opposition.

    “A major chunk of the passengers in the state belong to the middle and lower class, who reach their destination every day while travelling by the cancelled trains”, stated the letter written by ACS asking the Board to immediately restart the operation of trains.