As part of its campaign to promote green/renewable energy, the Central Railway has installed a total 28 solar power plants with a capacity of 924 kilowatt peak (KWp) on its five divisions and at a workshop.

Mumbai and Solapur divisions have nine plants each, while Pune, Nagpur and Bhusaval have three plants each and one is at the Matunga workshop in Mumbai, an official said.

“Apart from above, wind and solar energy installations have been provided at eight locations with a total capacity of 44 KWp and stand-alone solar installations have been provided at various small stations, level crossing gates and street lights at 953 locations with a total capacity of 49 KWp,” the official stated.

The plants at Sanpada and Matunga Workshop having capacity of 1000 KWp each are in various stages of implementation. Once completed the expected energy generation of these plants will be 25 lakh units per year.

LED lights, which save energy as compared to conventional lights, have already been provided at 250 railway stations on Central Railway. LED lighting at remaining 188 stations will be provided by March 2018, the official stated. The estimated annual energy savings will be 1.4 crore units, which will result in savings of Rs 13 crore every year, the official added.

An agreement has also been signed in presence of CR general manager D.K. Sharma to provide LEDs in place of old fittings. Under this agreement Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL, a joint venture of PSUs under Ministry of Power, will provide Rs 30 crore funds initially.

The CR will pay back quarterly instalments to EESL from the savings achieved from energy bills by retaining some part of savings for the next five years, an official said. The agreement is for five years and during this period EESL will replace defective fittings and equipments, if any.

The South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) would get benefaction of Grade-11 raw coal done from its Korba fields in Chhattisgarh, officials informed. The company recorded 13.33 million tonnes (MT) of coal production against the target of 13.70 MT during November this year, the company informed in a regulatory filing.

Notably, Coal India Ltd (CIL) recorded offtake of 10.13 million tonnes (MT) of coal from its flagship subsidiary SECL against the target of 10.60 MT during September this year. The offtake of coal by Coal India Ltd from SECL had seen 15.8 per cent jump (provisional) at 60.99 million tonnes (MT) during April-August 2017, officials informed.

The coal offtake target during the period was 58.79 MT. SECL achieved total production of 28.178 million tonnes (MT) of coal from its open cast (OC) mines during April-June period of the current financial year. It so excavated 125.45 million tonnes (MT) of coal from its mines during the last five year period (2012-13 to 2016-17) from its Open Cast mines, the latest SECL data has revealed.

Notably, CIL had recorded offtake of coal from its largest subsidiary SECL at 124.34 million tonnes between April 2015 to February 2016. This was against the target of 123.89 million tonnes (MT)  which was a growth of 11.1 per cent.

The developing of rail track network in Eastern corridor would  facilitate coal traffic movement from Kharsia to Dharamjaygarh upto Korba with a spur line from Gare-Pelma Block in Northern part of Chhattisgarh, officials informed. The project would meet the logistic challenges foreseen on account of coal evacuation and to meet the growing coal needs of the country.

Ministry of Railways has notified the East Rail Corridor in the State of Chhattisgarh as a ‘Special Railway Project’ to provide national infrastructure for a public purpose and directed for acquisition of land under the Railways Act, 1989.

The South East Central Railway (SECR) conducted as many as 27 Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Surveys (PETS) during the Five Year Plan Period 2012-17 for new line projects, the Central Government has informed.

Reconnaissance/Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Survey is pre-requisite for consideration of any new investment proposal for new projects to assess the likely investment, traffic potential and return from the same. Based on the outcome of Reconnaissance/ Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Survey, projects are sanctioned/included in Budget Document (Pink Book) on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of ongoing project, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

Notably, the Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) each with the States of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation .

Agreement for World Bank loan of US $ 1100 million for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) (Phase-2) have also been signed, they stated.

Freight train with speed of maximum 100 kms per hour will pass through Chhattisgarh in the East-West Corridor (Kolkata-Mumbai).

The train will traverse through the States of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra as the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned implementation of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) with freight train speeds of maximum 100 Kmph.

The Central Government’s approval for construction of 165 km long thirdrailway line between Anuppur and Katni in Madhya Pradesh is expected to facilitate additional coal transportation traffic from parts of Chhattisgarh.

The coal transporation traffic from IB valley, Korba area, East Corridor and Gevra – Pendra Road Project in Chhattisgarh would be channelised through the aforesaid route to the respective destinations, officials stated.

The Centre has approved the project at a cost of Rs 1595.76 crore. The project is likely to be completed in 5 ¼ years spanning over 12th and 13th plan period.

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has also approved construction of six Railway lines and Railway bridge to cater to both increased passenger and freight needs in various areas of the country.

Public sector IRCON International Ltd has also commenced work in connection with the construction of new ‘Broad Guage Electrified DoubleRailway Line’ in Chhattisgarh on the East West Corridor.

The work is being undertaken in  Gevra Road-Pendra Road and Dipka, Kathghora, Sendurgahr and Pasan sections, officials stated.

Notably, the development of two key Rail corridors in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh is now set to expand the Railway line network by 45 per cent in the State, officials stated.

The completion of Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur, East and East-West Railcorridor projects will comprise a total of 535 kilometers Railway-line during the next two to four years, they stated.

The East West Rail Corridor project is expected to get completed in 2018-19.

The corridor is to facilitate movement of about 60 million tonnes of coal to various parts of the country apart from providing passenger train facility for the local populace of the region.

The length of the rail track would be 135.30 kms.The Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd is the implementing agency for the project.

The Central Government’s approval for construction of 165 km long third railway line between Anuppur and Katni in Madhya Pradesh is expected to facilitate additional coal transportation traffic from parts of Chhattisgarh.

The coal transporation traffic from IB valley, Korba area, East Corridor and Gevra – Pendra Road Project in Chhattisgarh would be channelized through the aforesaid route to the respective destinations, officials stated.

The Centre has approved the project at a cost of Rs 1595.76 crore. The project is likely to be completed in 5 ¼ years spanning over 12th and 13th plan period.

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has also approved construction of six Railway lines and a Railway bridge to cater to both increased passenger and freight needs in various areas of the country.

Public sector IRCON International Ltd has also commenced work in connection with the construction of new ‘Broad Guage Electrified Double Railway Line’ in Chhattisgarh on the East West Corridor.

The work is being undertaken in  Gevra Road-Pendra Road and Dipka, Kathghora, Sendurgahr and Pasan sections, officials stated.

Notably, the development of two key Rail corridors in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh is now set to expand the Railway line network by 45 per cent in the State, officials stated.

The completion of Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur, East and East-West Rail corridor projects will comprise a total of 535 kilometers Railway-line during the next two to four years, they stated.

The East West Rail Corridor project is expected to get completed in 2018-19.

The corridor is to facilitate movement of about 60 million tonnes of coal to various parts of the country apart from providing passenger train facility for the local populace of the region.

The length of the rail track would be 135.30 kms. The Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd is the implementing agency for the project.

Tokyo prosecutors have raided the headquarters of at least two of Japan’s biggest construction firms for alleged antitrust violations linked to $80 billion worth of magnetic levitation (maglev) train line projects.

Shimizu Corp (1803.T) and Kajima Corp (1812.T) were raided early on Monday morning, spokesmen for the two companies separately said.

Another construction firm, Obayashi Corp (1802.T), is already under investigation for suspected bid-rigging over maglev-related contracts.

A spokeswoman for the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office said it could not comment on individual cases.

The other member of the so-called “big four” group of Japanese construction firms involved in the maglev project, Taisei Corp (1801.T), had not been raided, a spokesman said.

Kajima shares plunged as much as 4.6 percent and Shimizu shares fell as much as 3.7 percent on news of the raids. Taisei shares were also down 3.3 percent on media reports it would be raided next. The Tokyo Stock Exchange was 1 percent higher.

The investigation relates to a 9 trillion yen ($80 billion) maglev line that is under construction linking Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

Trains running at speeds of up to 500 km (311 miles) per hour, through tunnels deep under mountainous terrain, will cut train travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya to 40 minutes from 100 minutes or more when operation begins in 2027.

The big four contractors have won roughly an equal number of orders for about 70 percent of the projects, according to Japanese media reports.

Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. and Southern Railway have recommended to the Railway Board to cancel Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Intercity Express (22636/22635) in view of poor patronage.

Introduced about four years ago at the behest of the then Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP K. Jayaprakash Hegde, the train leaves Mangaluru Central at 8.15 a.m. to reach Madgaon at 2 p.m. In the return journey, the train leaves Madgaon at 4.15 p.m. to reach Mangaluru Central at 10 p.m. during the non-Monsoon period.

As per information provided by Southern Railway, Mangaluru Central-Madgaon service earned an average of ₹ 19,913.33 per day during 2016-17 with 40.09 % occupancy in reserved classes.

Occupancy and earnings through non-reserved classes are not available. Earning for the whole year was just ₹ 62,81,470 from the Mangaluru Central-Madgaon service.

Meanwhile, Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. is yet to furnish information on passenger patronage for the Madgaon-Mangaluru Central service.

While KRCL Managing Director Sanjay Gupta told that the decision of the board is awaited, Divisional Railway Manager of Southern Railway Palakkad Division Naresh Lalwani said that the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee would take a call on KRCL’s proposal sent to it by the board.

President of Rail Prayanikara Hitharakshana Samithi, Kundapur, K. Somashekara Shetty said that the inter-city train’s poor patronage was because the train does not halt at many important stations. If its schedule is changed, patronage would improve, he said.

The train runs in between the Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Passenger and the Bengaluru-Karwar-Bengaluru Express and hence attracts few passengers, said Anil Hegde, advisor to West Coast Rail Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi, Mangaluru.

The samithi had, in fact, demanded a passenger train service leaving Madgaon early morning reaching Mangaluru Central in the afternoon and leaving Mangaluru Central in the afternoon reaching Madgaon during night, opposite to the existing Mangaluru Central-Madgaon service.

For some reason, an intercity leaving Mangaluru in the morning was introduced, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jayaprakash Hegde said that he would discuss the issue with KRCL in detail soon.

The Indian Railways has cleared a Rs. 12,000-crore proposal to equip electric locomotives with the latest European train protection system.

At its meeting on December 15, the Railway Board cleared the proposal to equip 6,000 electric locos with European Train Control System (ETCS) Level-II to help drivers – or pilots — to prevent rail mishaps, a senior Railway Ministry official told IANS.

Besides, the Board also decided to install the ETCS Level-II system on the entire 9,054 km-long Golden Quadrilateral route connecting the four metros to make it a fully accident-free corridor.

The entire project to ensure ETCS Level-II compliance is expected to cost around Rs. 12,000 crore.

There are cases where accidents occur due to error of locomotive pilots who generally have to work in very stressful conditions.

Known as a “train protection warning system”, the facility based on ETCS Level-I has been implemented on about 342 km of rail route. Gatiman Express, running at 160 kmph between Nizamuddin and Agra, safely runs at this speed protected by the system.

However, it was decided to upgrade the system to put it on par with world standards as the ETCS Level-I has limitations.

In a train protection warning system, information regarding the condition of the signals ahead — whether it is showing red, yellow or green — is communicated to the locomotive and is shown on a display screen called DMI (Driver Machine Interface) in the front of the loco pilot.

In the ETCS Level-I system, this information regarding the condition of the signal ahead is periodically received in the loco whenever it passes over a device called “balise” which is fitted in the middle of the track at certain intervals.

Thus this has a limitation that the information regarding the signal ahead is received only when a loco passes over a balise — and the driver has to wait till he passes over the next balise to get updated information.

This disadvantage of the ETCS Level-I is overcome in ETCS Level-II, which ensures that the status of the signal ahead is continuously available in the loco through a wireless radio medium using a GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communication-Railways) network.

GSM-R is similar to the mobile GSM network with some special features for Railway applications. With the status of the signal continuously available, the driver can now run the train more efficiently, as per the movement authority available to him, thereby improving overall speed and the section capacity of the route.

With the implementation of ETCS Level-II, the balise fitted on the track for communicating the status of signals are no longer required.

The Indian Railways has cleared a Rs. 12,000-crore proposal to equip electric locomotives with the latest European train protection system.

At its meeting on December 15, the Railway Board cleared the proposal to equip 6,000 electric locos with European Train Control System (ETCS) Level-II to help drivers – or pilots — to prevent rail mishaps, a senior Railway Ministry official told IANS.

The entire project to ensure ETCS Level-II compliance is expected to cost around Rs. 12,000 crore.

There are cases where accidents occur due to error of locomotive pilots who generally have to work in very stressful conditions.

Currently, the Railways has a basic automatic train protection system based on the ETCS Level-I specification to provide a back-up to loco pilots on a limited stretch.

Known as a “train protection warning system”, the facility based on ETCS Level-I has been implemented on about 342 km of rail route. Gatiman Express, running at 160 kmph between Nizamuddin and Agra, safely runs at this speed protected by the system.

However, it was decided to upgrade the system to put it on par with world standards as the ETCS Level-I has limitations.

In a train protection warning system, information regarding the condition of the signals ahead — whether it is showing red, yellow or green — is communicated to the locomotive and is shown on a display screen called DMI (Driver Machine Interface) in the front of the loco pilot.

In the ETCS Level-I system, this information regarding the condition of the signal ahead is periodically received in the loco whenever it passes over a device called “balise” which is fitted in the middle of the track at certain intervals.

Thus this has a limitation that the information regarding the signal ahead is received only when a loco passes over a balise — and the driver has to wait till he passes over the next balise to get updated information.

This disadvantage of the ETCS Level-I is overcome in ETCS Level-II, which ensures that the status of the signal ahead is continuously available in the loco through a wireless radio medium using a GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communication-Railways) network.

GSM-R is similar to the mobile GSM network with some special features for Railway applications. With the status of the signal continuously available, the driver can now run the train more efficiently, as per the movement authority available to him, thereby improving overall speed and the section capacity of the route.

With the implementation of ETCS Level-II, the balise fitted on the track for communicating the status of signals are no longer required.

Your train travel may become cheaper! The Indian Railways is planning to imitate discount policy that hotels and airlines offer to get more customers. Just like airlines and hotels, the railways could soon be dishing out discounts on tickets if trains are not fully booked, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said. This may lead to a complete revamp of the flexi-fare scheme. Mr Goyal’s remarks came days after the Railway Board formed a six-member committee to review the flexi-fare scheme.
Here are 10 things to know about what Mr Goyal said on discounts on Indian Railways’ train seats:

1) “We have been deliberating on a dynamic pricing policy. So far we have been discussing that the price should not go up but I want to go a step ahead. I am exploring a possibility where, suppose trains are not going full like in airlines, we get discounted fares,” said Mr Goyal.

2) “We will use (Ashwani) Lohani’s expertise…like there is dynamic pricing in hotels. First the prices are low…then the prices go high and then later you get discounts on the remaining rooms through bookmyhotel or other websites,” he said. Mr Lohani is the current Chairman of the Indian Railway Board.

3) “Just like the airlines and hotels where a person gets discount at that last minute, it (the railways) should also offer discounts on the routes with relatively low occupancy,” he said.

4) Mr Goyal spoke on Saturday after a day-long conclave of senior officials in New Delhi. The six-member committee, set up on December 11, has been mandated to recommend ways to offer a more lucrative scheme that may include loyalty and other benefits to passengers.
5) The board has also asked the panel to consider modifications or amendments to the flexi-fare system to offer passengers flexibility of rates during peak/lean seasons or during weekdays, weekends or festivals.

6) The committee has been asked to submit its report within 30 days.

7) The flexi-fare system, launched in September 2016, led to up to 50 per cent increase in fares. Under the formula, base fares increase from 10 per cent to 50 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths booked. While revenue increased, the railways lost passengers as several berths remained vacant, officials said.

8) Mr Goyal also said that the Indian Railways should try to follow the way in which airlines maintain their aircraft within 30 minutes or so. He said that railway rakes should be utilised to full capacity. “Right now a Rajdhani Express train from Delhi to Mumbai stays at the station for maintenance. It can be maintained and cleaned by 22 teams in 30 minutes and again made fit to go on a journey of two or three hours, besides its original return journey,” he said.
9) “Going ahead I would want that the trip between Delhi and Mumbai be completed in 11 hours and half-an-hour on each side (should) go in maintenance. So a round trip would become possible,” the minister said.

10) Mr Goyal said that while the national transporter was already trying out an experiment on the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani by using two engines, he has also suggested that the train should depart from Delhi at 5 pm instead of 4 pm. (With PTI Inputs)

The railways will explore if it is possible for a Rajdhani Express train to make a round trip within 24 hours with half-an-hour gaps for inspection at either end, to maximise utilisation of such rakes.

This is one of the ideas that will be discussed at a day-long conclave — ‘Sampark, Samanvay evam Samvad’ (connection, coordination and conversation) – in New Delhi on December 16.

The meet, to be attended by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and senior officials, will chalk out a road map for the national transporter till 2022.

The agenda for the meeting includes discussion on structural and cultural reforms and changes in processes and ways to increase market share and revenue of the railways by 40 per cent in freight transportation by 2022.

The meeting will also deliberate on how to improve punctuality, comfort, safety, aesthetics and safety in railway operations.

Senior railway officials are also mandated to come up with ideas and plans to device a procurement process which would enable procurement of new technologies in a short period of time.

The meeting will address the issue of ‘happiness’ among employees and find out what kind of incentives can be given to motivate them?

“Some of the decisions on various issues listed for discussion will be taken on that day,” said a senior official.

The family of a central government official, whose body was found on railway tracks three near Delhi days after he went missing, on Friday alleged that he was killed and his body was dumped there. Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry Indian Civil Accounts Service officer Jeetendra Kumar Jha’s body was found on rail tracks on Monday in Palam.

The police, however, said that it was a case of suicide since a purported note was also found in which he said no one was responsible for his death.
Mr Jha’s family was initially not able to identify his body yesterday. But after police showed a wallet and clothes, they identified the body.

Jeetendra Kumar Jha went missing from Dwarka on Monday after he had gone for a morning walk (File Photo)
New Delhi: The family of a central government official, whose body was found on railway tracks three near Delhi days after he went missing, on Friday alleged that he was killed and his body was dumped there. Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry Indian Civil Accounts Service officer Jeetendra Kumar Jha’s body was found on rail tracks on Monday in Palam.

The police, however, said that it was a case of suicide since a purported note was also found in which he said no one was responsible for his death.

Mr Jha’s family was initially not able to identify his body yesterday. But after police showed a wallet and clothes, they identified the body.

RN Mishra, Mr Jha’s brother-in-law, said the body was mutilated beyond recognition and that is why they could not identify it..
“Three-four months ago, he had said that he won’t live for long. He was scared for his life,” Mr Mishra told news agency PTI, alleging foul play in Mr Jha’s death.

Mr Mishra said that Mr Jha was scared and was not even going to work and had been on leave.

“He had even stopped visiting our house late in the night. If we had to meet him, we would have to visit his home,” Mr Mishra said. Mr Jha had even started leaving his cellphone at home so that his location could not be tracked, he said.

“Even on the day he went missing, he had left his phone at home,” said Mr Mishra.

Mr Jha, a 1998-batch officer, was worked in the training section of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. He was not going to office and was on medical leave from September 28, the police had said.

The railways has identified 983 railway stations for the installation of CCTV cameras using the Nirbhaya Fund, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

The fund was set up following an announcement in the 2013 Union Budget after the brutal gangrape of a Delhi girl on December 16, 2012, that had sparked a nationwide outrage. The railways was given Rs. 500 crore from the fund by the Finance Ministry.

In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain also said that the national transporter has identified 202 railway stations as “sensitive” for the purpose of installation of an integrated security system (ISS) to strengthen surveillance mechanism.

“ISS includes close circuit television (CCTV) cameras, access control, personal and baggage screening system and bomb detection system,” the minister informed the House.

Contracts have already been awarded for execution of ISS works at 129 railway stations spread across 15 Zonal Railways, Mr Gohain said.

So far, 106 railway stations have been covered with CCTV surveillance system, and 139 baggage scanners, 32 under vehicle scanning system, 217 door frame metal detectors and more than one thousand hand held metal detectors have been provided to Zonal Railways, the minister said.

“All the Zonal Railways have been advised to ensure speedy implementation of ISS at all the identified sensitive stations,” the minister said.

Besides ISS, CCTV surveillance system is available at 288 other railway stations.