Sunday, 29 May 2016
Friday, 27 May 2016
Two years of Mixed Performance – NDA gets pat for Railway reforms
Two years of Mixed Performance – NDA gets pat for Railway reforms
Current Financial Year would be a “Defining Year” for Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Railways: says Global Consulting Firms
Indian Railways was in a shambles when Suresh Prabhu took charge as minister in November 2014. Cut to 2016 and the narrative has shifted to high-speed trains, Wi-Fi broadband services at stations and use of social media to improve passenger amenities. Also, the average commissioning of BG railway lines in 2009-2014 was approx.110 km whereas post NDA Government formed at the centre, it touched 550 Kms in 2014-2015. In 2015-2016, the BG line commissioned in North East was 89 per cent alone in comparison to 2009-2014 achievement during UPA government regime.
The ministry has managed to place Rs 40,000 crore (Rs 400 billion) of contracts for the much-awaited diesel and electric locomotive factories, secure Rs 5 lakh crore long-term funding from Life Insurance Corporation and begin work on a Rs 98,000-crore (Rs 980 billion) first bullet train project with Japanese loans.
“A major achievement Prabhu will be known for in the first two years is putting back on rails many of the crucial but incomplete tasks that were pending for a long time. Work has gained momentum on locomotive factories and the Dedicated Freight Corridor project,” said Vishwas Udgirkar, senior director, Deloitte. Through the locomotive factories, the government has cleared the pitch for the first foreign direct investment in the sector.
Despite these successes, Prabhu has had his share of criticism. Last year, the Prime Minister’s Office had asked the ministry to speed up work on key projects and the finance ministry cut down the railways’ Gross Budgetary Support of Rs 40,000 crore by Rs 10,000 crore.
Experts say the current financial year would be a defining year for Prabhu. “Initiatives like High Speed Rail help only in changing of perceptions. In the long term, it is important for the railways to improve the basic financial viability of the system,” Udgirkar said.
The National Democratic Alliance government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kicked off a two-part survey where the people will rate its policies and initiatives as it completes two years in office. Thousands have already joined in to answer the 30 questions covering anything from foreign policy to signature schemes such as Swachh Bharat, Digital India and Make In India, hosted on the citizen engagement platform mygov,in.
While Make in India, ease of doing business and controlling corruption figure somewhere in the middle of the ratings, other schemes such as Swachh Bharat, Digital India and unearthing black money have scored the least.
Initial data captured on the portal will make Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu happy. More than 74 per cent of the people who have participated in the survey so far have given 5 stars to the government effort in modernising Indian Railways, taking it to the top position out of a total of 15 schemes. Only 1.04 per cent of the people have given it 1 star. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is next with 65.8 per cent people giving 5 stars to government efforts in providing highway connectivity. It is the only sector where nobody has given it the lowest grade of 1.
The NDA’s foreign policy has scored high as well with 63.21 per cent giving the initiative 5 stars. It got 1 star from 3.63 per cent of the respondents. The PM himself has mostly been at the forefront of the foreign policy initiatives, though Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is also seen having contributed to the overall effort.
Going by scores, Power Minister Piyush Goyal is in the fourth position with 56.99 per cent giving 5 stars to the government effort in providing 24X7 power to all. It got 1 star from 2.07 per cent.
Make In India, counted among Modi’s pet projects, ranks fifth in terms of highest score -53.89 per cent gave it 5 stars and 1.55 per cent 1 star. Ease of doing business is a notch below with 49.74 per cent giving it 5 stars and 2.59 per cent giving it 1 star.
Less than half the people who took the survey, 48.97 per cent, believe controlling corruption should get 5 stars. As much as 6.19 per cent think the government effort in controlling corruption deserves only 1 star.
Helping self-employment through Startup India, predictability in taxation, and Skill India come even lower with just about 40 per cent giving these efforts 5 stars.
The least appreciated is the government effort to unearth black money with only 33.16 per cent of the people who participated giving it 5 stars. As much as 10.88 per cent, the largest chunk in this survey, have it 1 star.
From the bottom, Digital India is number two, Swachh Bharat three, and recasting Indian agriculture four. “Your responses will help the government in further improving these programmes, serving you better and making India great,” mygov.in said while inviting people to rate the government.
The first 15 questions are about checking the people’s awareness about NDA schemes. For instance, do you know that the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana gives collateral-free loans up to Rs 10 lakh to small business enterprises? Or, did you know that the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will provide LPG connections to 5 crore BPL families? You have to answer in ”yes” or ”no”.
The other 15 questions are for rating schemes and plans on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Railways to invest Rs.80000 Crore on Infrastructure in 3 years
Railways to invest Rs.80000 Crore on Infrastructure in 3 years
The Ministry of Railways on Thursday claimed a paradigm shift in laying of tracks by stating that it would spend Rs.80,000 crores in the next three years on civil and signalling works for capacity augmentation works.
The railways stated that with assured funding of projects in place, the works have picked up substantially and it would achieve the target of laying 19 kms a day of new tracks in 2018-19 financial year.
“The financial allocation for taking up rail line projects for doubling, broad gauge conversion, and new lines has substantially improved from just Rs 7,600 crores in 2007-08 to Rs 46,000 crores in 2016-17. We now have assured funds at our disposals, and projects are now no more stuck for lack of financial allocation,” said Mr V.K. Gupta, Member-Engineering, Railway Board.
He informed that while the railways commissioned 2,828 kms of new rail lines, doubling, and broad gauge conversion in 2015-16 financial year, the target is to commission 2,900 kms in the current fiscal.
He added that the railways would commission 7,000 kms of new lines, doubling, and broad gauge conversion in the 2017-18 financial year and the same would be 7,000 kms in 2018-19.
“We have made it a norm to distinguish between the completion of projects and their commissioning. Even while a project may be completed it may take years for commissioning. Therefore, we are only giving figures for what have been commissioned,” said Mr Gupta.
He stated that only about 30 kms of meter gauge track length have been left for conversion in the north-east region into broad gauge.
He also added that nearly one-third of the new commissioned rail tracks are new lines, thus helping in addressing the issue of capacity constraints in the Railways.
India is all Set to conduct Trial Run of its First Solar Powered Train
India is all Set to conduct Trial Run of its First Solar Powered Train
The Indian Railways which is the fourth largest rail network in the world is all set to equip its train with solar energy and set to conduct the first trial run by the end of May 2016 in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur city.
The train will be pulled by the conventional diesel locomotive engine and the solar energy will be used to power the lighting and other internal electrical gadgets. All the coaches of the train will house the solar panel on the rooftop and will power the lights and fans inside the coach. The Indian Railways is upbeat about the project and is looking to generate 1,000MW of solar energy by 2020.
Currently, the diesel consumption has touched 90,000 litres per year, the Indian Railways is planning to cut down. They have already using CNG, biodiesel, and natural gas. CNG is being used in local trains between Rohtak-Rewari section of Delhi Division, this is a dual use of both diesel and CNG. By moving and harnessing the solar energy, the Indian Railways is planning to cut down the carbon dioxide emission levels. India has been in highlight with cities being termed as among most polluted in the world. This initiative by the Indian Railways is a good step towards a greener world tomorrow for the future generation. The solar panels have been used in the Indian Railways in the coaches, however, it was not used for the entire passenger trains, this train, which is being tested is the first passenger train to have solar panels on all the coaches and a move towards to find out the feasibility to equip in all trains in the future.
Delhi-Chandigarh section into Semi-HSR Corridor: Board reviews Progress on Works carried out by SNCF
Delhi-Chandigarh section into Semi-HSR Corridor: Board reviews Progress on Works carried out by SNCF
Feasibility/implementation study being carried out by SNCF for New Delhi – Chandigarh corridor of existing Indian Railways network
With an aim to get a better understanding through first-hand experience, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu earlier travelled in the drivers’ cabin of a high-speed train in France covering 150 km distance between Paris and Reims in 45 minutes (File Photo)
New Delhi: Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu in his Rail Budget Speech of 2014-15 announced that New Delhi – Chandigarh Corridor will be upgraded for increasing the speed of passenger trains to 160/200 kmph. Ministry of Railways of the Republic of India had already signed an MoU with the French National Railways (SNCF) on 14.02.2013 on technical co-operation in various fields of Railways.
One of the areas of co-operation mentioned in the MoU is regarding exchange of experience, technologies & know-how for upgrading speed on existing infrastructure of Indian Railways.
To discuss the co-operation issues and specific projects, a high level delegation headed by CRB had visited the SNCF in France in May,2014. During the discussion, it was decided to take up speed raising on Delhi – Chandigarh Corridor. Later, during Hon’ble PM’s visit to France in April,2015 a protocol with SNCF on co-operation in Semi-High Speed rail on Delhi – Chandigarh Section was signed with the approval of Minister of Railways.
In December, 2015, an agreement was signed between Ministry of Railways and SNCF vide which the feasibility/implementation study of Delhi – Chandigarh Corridor for raising the speed of passenger trains to 200 kmph was awarded to SNCF on 50:50 percent cost sharing basis.
The total cost of the study is Rs.19,69,02,721/- (taxes extra) and the total time duration for its completion is one year. The study commenced on 19th January,2016 which has been divided into three phases and details of areas to be covered under each phase is indicated below:-
Phase–I (In four months from the date of commencement) – Technical Assessment involving field visits, surveys, review of possible technical solutions and development of three high level upgrading scenarios.
Phase–II (In two months from the date of completion of Phase –I) – Operation/Economic impact involving assessment of scenarios, impact on transport and operations plan, economic/financial impact for IR and selection of a preferred scenario with Indian Railways.
Phase-III (In six months after completion of Phase –II) – Execution plan and tenders involving reference design, bill of quantities, tender preparation and recommendations for a broader HSS upgrading programme by Indian Railways on a selected scenario.
At present Phase–I of the project is in progress. The total four months duration of Phase–I has been divided into four equal parts i..e each of one month duration and after every month, a detailed meeting is held with SNCF and concerned Northern Railway officials and the same has been named a Project Review. In today’s meeting i.e. on 18th May,2016, the third Project Review has been done.
Closer Cooperation
On 14 February 2013, SNCF and the Indian Railway Board signed a memorandum of understanding on working together in the rail sector. Inked in New Delhi by Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal and SNCF Chairman Guillaume Pepy, the master agreement refocuses the two partners on four priorities:
- high-speed lines
- station renovation
- upgrades of India’s existing rail network
- urban and regional transport services
The renewable five-year agreement, which builds on a partnership dating back to 2004, is part of India’s plan to expand its railway network between now and 2020.
SNCF in India
SNCF’s Systra and Geodis subsidiaries have been doing business in India for several years, with AREP and Keolis entering the market more recently.
- In 2010, Systra contributed to a technical pre-feasibility study for the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line. It has also participated in various phases of metros in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Calcutta, as well as engineering works on dedicated freight lines launched by Indian Railways.
- Geodis Wilson provides transport and logistics services to clients in India through a nationwide network of offices.
- From 2009 to 2012, Arep Ville crafted the master plan for renovating Mumbai’s prestigious CST station, one of the busiest in the world, used by over a million passengers daily.
Keolis will operate the automated metro system planned for Hyderabad.
SNCF and Indian Railways have already decided to cooperate on a development study for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line, which will cover nearly 450 km. SNCF is spearheading and funding the project with support from the French Ministry of Finance. Several SNCF divisions and subsidiaries—including Gares et Connexions, AREP, Keolis and Systra—may also be involved in carrying out the agreement with their Indian counterparts.
Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail (L&T), India’s leading engineering and construction firm, chose Keolis to operate and maintain the automated metro system planned for Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh state. The 71 km elevated network, designed to run on a viaduct, will be fully automated and is expected to carry 1.5 million passengers a day, with operations set to begin in 2015. During the construction phase, Keolis will act as a consultant, providing the operator’s perspective on the project. The goal: offer new mobility solutions to Hyderabad’s 9 million residents by expanding public transport.
Monday, 16 May 2016
Indian Railways ERP Project will be the world’s Largest IT project: Suresh Prabhu
Indian Railways ERP Project will be the world’s Largest IT project: Suresh Prabhu
Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Railways announced slew of initiatives taken by his ministry to revamp and modernize Indian Railways
Mumbai: “Implementation of effective technological solutions can unlock the true potential of India’s transport & logistics sector” was the underlying statement at the launch event of Association of MSMEs in Information Technology (AIM-IT) in the financial capital earlier today.
AIM-IT which is India’s first sectoral organisation for Medium, Small and Micro IT enterprises (MSMEs) was founded by well-known technocrat Mr Vinit Goenka in 2015. The association was set up with an aim of representing, advocating and promoting interests of IT-MSMEs to ensure economic and technological advancement of the country.
The event theme – ‘Challenges and Opportunities of Modernising Indian Railways through implementation of IT’ saw participation from all key stakeholders of the sector including, central & state govt ministers, bureaucrats, IT and logistic companies, start-ups, innovators, and policy makers.
Riveting discussions were held on various important subjects such as, Role of MSME companies in Railways, Shaping the future of ‘Smart Railways, Internet of Things and Indian Railways, and ‘Smart Cities’: Smarter Roads – Smarter Transport.
Addressing the audience, Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Railways announced slew of initiatives taken by his ministry to revamp and modernize Indian Railways. He remarked that the ERP project undertaken by Indian Railways is the largest such IT project undertaken by any country. Speaking on the need to support indigenous IT solutions, the honourable minister said, “The Rail Ministry has started a special fund of Rs 50 crore to support IT companies coming up with innovative solutions for Railways. We are looking for solutions in critical areas such as customer interface and also IT security. Cyber Security is of utmost importance to us and we are determined to be ahead in IT Security,” he said.
While speaking on the importance of including IT-MSMEs in building and implementation of technology in infra projects by the Government, Mr Vinit Goenka, founder chairman of AIMIT said, “India is the fourth largest base for new businesses in the world and home to over 3,100 tech start-ups. It is time that Govt taps into these new, technology-driven companies to help India solve infrastructural issues which has been stunting its growth since Independence. Currently India is deprived of research and innovation due to irrational and biased policy strategies of large corporate houses and IT MNCs from the west who dominate the IT sector. We strongly feel that if Government includes MSMEs in IT then we will see path-breaking and cost-effective solutions in the transport sector.”
The other highlight of the event was presentation of the draft policy document of the revolutionary technology – On Vehicle Smart Module (OVSM) to Chief Guest Suresh Prabhu, honourable Union Minister of Railways, by AIM-IT’s founder chairman, Mr Vinit Goenka.
OVSM was one of the top five recommendations which were selected after a nationwide campaign conducted by a special policy group – #ITforParivahan. This policy group was set up by Govt of India’s IT task force members and renowned technocrats Padmashree Dr. Mohandas Pai and Mr. Vinit Goenka as a platform to crowd source ideas to improve Indian infrastructure.
Mr Vinit Goenka said that implementing IT will help government build transparent, economic, fast, scalable solutions through disruptive and inclusive ideas.
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
Railways to meet 10% of Energy needs via Renewables by 2020
Railways to meet 10% of Energy needs via Renewables by 2020
Indian Railways, which has envisioned a plan to generate 1000 MW of solar energy by 2020, claims to be on track to become the largest harvester of rooftop solar plants
New Delhi: Indian Railways which has envisioned a plan to generate 1000 MW of solar energy by 2020, claims to be on track to become the largest harvester of rooftop solar plants, and plans to meet 10% of its total energy requirements through renewable energy by 2020.
As part of its ‘Solar Mission’, the transporter plans to generate 500 MW (megawatt) of solar energy through rooftop solar panels and the rest 500 MW through land-mounted solar panels. It also aims at generating 312 MW of energy through windmill plants with the help of Railway Energy Management Corporation Limited.
Sources in the railway ministry said Indian Railways has already tied up with Solar Energy Corporation of India to generate 100 MW of solar energy through land-mounted solar plants and production is estimated to commence from December, 2017, at an average rate of Rs 4.50/unit. The transporter has also tied up with Rewa Ultra Mega Solar (RUMS) to generate 50MW of solar energy through land-mounted solar plants at an average rate of Rs 4.50 per unit and the production is estimated to commence from December, 2017.
The transporter last year floated tenders for 50 MW for rooftop-based solar panels across its various zones. Sources in the railways ministry said the tenders will be finalised by June, 2016, and the ministry is expecting the per unit cost to come below Rs 5.50/unit. The railways is also going to float an additional tender for 100 MW by the end of May this year and expects the bids to be awarded by the end of 2016.
“We have been focusing on solar energy in a big way. As more and more of our network gets electrified and the use of EMU trains increases, our energy demand will also increase. It is of paramount importance that we start focusing on renewable energy; not only will it reduce our carbon footprint, it will also help us meet 10% of our total energy requirement by 2020,” a senior railway official told.
The official added that the transporter from FY17 plans to float tenders between 50-100 MW every six months.
The railways’ electrification spending jumped to Rs 2,227 crore in FY16, a 60% increase compared to Rs 1,391 crore spent in FY15 and expects its energy requirement traction/non-traction to grow by 4% annually.
The rail ministry, in a notification last year, had directed all zonal railways to call for tariff-based competitive bidding. According to the documents available on the ministry’s website, the transporter is going to sign long-term power purchase agreement (25 years).
The railways will allow the developer to use the rooftops of railway buildings without charge; with utilisation of complete energy by the railways. The transporter may also buy back the power plant, if there is a sharp drop in the price of per unit power being procured from other sources as compared to the price of solar power contracted.
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
Monday, 9 May 2016
Cargo Ship from Barcelona carrying Talgo Coaches arrives at Mumbai
Cargo Ship from Barcelona carrying Talgo Coaches arrives at Mumbai
Indian Railways imports high-speed and modern Talgo coaches from Spain. Talgo train trials at 200 kmph likely in June. Delhi to Mumbai journey in just 12 hours with high-speed Talgo train
Mumbai: Lightweight, comfortable, loaded with modern amenities, and compatible with high-speed rail travel, all-new Talgo coaches have arrived in India at Mumbai. Manufactured by Spanish locomotive maker Talgo, these will be put through trial runs across two routes in India.
These coaches will be transported to Izzatnagar Depot after getting customs clearances,” a senior Railway Ministry official said.
The Spanish train-maker has offered to test run its lighter and faster trains free of cost on the existing Indian Railways network. “The first Talgo train trial will be conducted between Bareilly and Moradabad rail route at a maximum speed of 115 kmph for oscillation test. This will be followed by another trial between Palwal and Mathura route at a maximum speed of 180 kmph,” the official said. The third one will be carried out between Mumbai-Delhi corridor, the same route which is used by Rajdhani Express and another non-Rajdhani Express. While the Delhi-Mumbai route is confirmed, the other route has yet to be decided.
The Spanish coach manufacturer, Talgo has agreed to conduct these trials free of cost and it will depend on results whether the Railway Ministry will plan on introducing these trains in the country. In the meantime, a permission letter has been issued to Talgo to import these coaches to India. They will come in as completely knocked down kits and will be assembled locally, following which trials will be conducted.
On the current infrastructure present in India, the Talgo high-speed coaches will have the capacity to travel at speeds of 160-200 kmph. They are compatible to upgrades, which will see even faster speeds.
At such high speeds, the travel distance between Delhi and Mumbai will be reduced from a current 17 hours to 12 hours. Besides bringing down travel time, Talgo coaches, being lightweight, also requires up to 30% less energy which will ensure massive savings on power bills for Indian Railways. These Talgo high-speed trains are currently in operation in many places in both Asia and the US.
Known for its high speed and light trains, Spanish train maker Talgo’s nine state-of-the-art train coaches have already reached Mumbai and will undergo crucial test run by the Railways next month.
Dispatched in a cargo ship from Barcelona on March 27, they will be put on trial on the existing tracks for validation test.
Depending upon the results of the trial, the railways will consider introduction of high speed trains. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that the aim of the trial run with Talgo coaches is to reduce by 5 hours the time taken on the Delhi-Mumbai route. Talgo has brought its trains on an experimental basis for the project. If the Talgo train runs at speeds varying between 160 and 200 kmph on the existing infrastructure without any upgrade, the travel time between Delhi and Mumbai is expected to be cut down to about 12 hours from the current 17 hours. Besides reducing travel time, Talgo’s lighter trains consume 30% less energy which will help railways reduce their power bill. Talgo claims that the coaches can run on higher speeds even on curves.
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Friday, 6 May 2016
DFC to award Rs.14000 Crore contracts in FY:2016-17
DFC to award Rs.14000 Crore contracts in FY:2016-17
New Delhi: Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC), the Indian Railways’ arm implementing the ambitious freight corridor project, will award contracts worth Rs 14,000 crore in the current financial year (2016-17) in a bid to quickly wrap up work and meet the 2019 deadline for commissioning the Rs 82,000-crore project.
“By July 2016, we are going to place orders worth Rs 10,000 crore. The balance – around Rs 4,000 crore worth of contracts – will be placed in the rest of the current financial year itself. After this, work will be progressing in every section of DFCC,” said a senior executive.
He added the company has so far placed 76 per cent of the contracts for civil works and 63 per cent of electrical contracts, apart from 48 per cent of the total signalling contracts.
For the construction of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, contracts worth Rs 4,000 crore were awarded in 2013 followed by another Rs 5,000 crore contracts in 2014. Last year, the DFCC placed around five contracts for signalling and telecommunication, electrification and civil construction. Similarly, nine contracts were placed for Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
The executive said the government-owned firm placed contracts worth Rs 24,000 crore in 2015-16 for various works on the freight corridor. “This is compared to Rs 13,000 crore worth of contracts placed in previous six years (2009-14),” he said. DFCC’s capex in FY16 stood at Rs 8,600 crore, compared to Rs 2,800 crore in FY15, a three-fold increase. In 2016-17, the company plans an expenditure of Rs 12,500 crore, including Rs 3,500 crore earmarked for land acquisition and the balance Rs 9,000 crore for contractual payments. The DFCC is constructing the 3,350-km-long freight corridor project, including the 1,800 km of its eastern arm between Ludhiana and Dankuni in West Bengal. The Western DFC will come up between Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai.
On the Rails, Rs.14000 Crore DFCC planning to place contracts for civil, signalling and telecom, and electrical works in FY17 Rs 10,000 crContracts to be placed by July; rest Rs 4,000-crore orders by March 2017 Rs 24,000 cr Contracts placed in FY16, against Rs 13,000-crore contracts in the previous six years Rs 12,500 cr Spend by SPV under rail ministry in FY17, including Rs 3,500 crore on land acquisition Rs 82,000 cr Project cost. Having already conducted trial run for the first pilot stretch in Bihar, DFCC confident of meeting the 2019 deadline
The project, when commissioned, would take up more than 70 per cent of Indian Railways freight traffic on to its faster, longer and heavier trains.
The Eastern DFC accounts for around 40 per cent of the total project cost. The Phase I of the project between Khurja and Mughalsarai is being funded through 66 per cent debt from World Bank and the rest as equity from the rail ministry.
The Phase II corridor between Mughalsarai and Sonnagar is being funded entirely through government equity, while the third phase between Sonnagar and Dankuni is to be developed on public-private partnership, or PPP mode.
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