Escalators at Salem railway junction

Suresh Prabhu the Railway Minister at Salem railway junction recently commissioned the escalators linking platforms 3/4 and 1 via video conferencing.

Hari Shankar Verma, the Divisional Railway Manager at the Salem junction at a function disclosed the plaque and made the dedication of the escalators to the general public use after it was commissioned by Suresh Prabhu the Railway Minister. The escalators have the capacity to handle about 9,000 individuals per hour. The Salem division intends the installation of another escalator after the completion of the platform No. 5 expansion works.

Salem is not the first station to have this facility in Salem division as escalators are already built in Coimbatore junction. Works are in progress for the escalators/lifts installation in Erode and Tirupur junctions, and it is believed to finish before the year runs to an end. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Verma said that the division is according to priority for the expedition of the pending projects. The work on the other entry at Salem Junction has already begun.

Making reference to the presented petition by Sundaram MP P. R. Namakkal entreating for Chennai Egmore-Salem extension overnight express via Namakkal to Karur, Mr. Verma discloses that the  Railway Board needs to give the go-ahead for any changes concerning the trains going through the zonal areas. Nevertheless, he said that the proposal has already been forwarded to the headquarters of the Southern Railway for sending it to the Railway Board.

The DRM said that the proposal of the long awaited request of the introduction of daytime to Chennai from Salem via Attur is still pending with the Railway Board.

Also, the proposals of operating in the Coimbatore using a direct train–from Vridhachalam to Chennai, Bengaluru section and the extension of some passenger trains are still pending.

Mr. Verma disclosed that the Railways already gave primacy to the passenger train operation services and measures have been taken to make sure that passenger trains depart and arrive early enough and maintains punctuality in Salem division.

He said that passenger traffic has reduced in spite of all the great services the Railways has provided to the public which has led to a reduction in the earnings of the railway.

He appealed to the general public to travel in larger numbers by trains to help in enhancing the railway revenue, which will help in creating enhanced amenities and execution of further projects.

Responding to a question raised, the DRM said that the WiFi facility installation would soon commence at an A1 category station at Coimbatore Junction which will later be extended to Erode and Salem.

Spanish train set to surpass Indian tracks

The Spanish Talgo train very soon will become one of the trains in the country with swift undertaking the non-commercial journeys. Though the train is still on trial at present, it is expected to speed at 180 kmph very soon.

The Indian Railways On Saturday carried out the second trial run along the Mathura-Palwal route of the Talgo train. The swift coaches across the 84km distance were pulled by a 4,500 HP WDP 4 engine. The 9 coaches, the train began its journey from the Mathura railway station at 12.40 p.m. and got to the Palwal station at 1.33 pm.

In May, the train ran at a high speed of 115 kmph during its initial trial between Bareilly and Moradabad while on Saturday, it attained 120 kmph.

The Additional Director General, Anil Kumar Saxena of  Public Relations department in  Indian Railways said that the train has attained the speed of  120 kmph and that it will surely attain the speed of 130, 140 and hit 180 kmph soon.

The India trial runs allow 180 kmph for maximum speed, but the Talgo train can run at 200 kmph,

Mr. Kumar said that as the first findings from the trial run were passable, the real performance depending on riding quality standards, stability and safety will be revealed after the data documented throughout the trial runs is scrutinized.

Mr. Kumar said that experts from Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) were in attendance during the trial runs along with  Talgo experts. The officials of Indian Railway and North Central Railway zone officials were also in attendance.

The Madrid-based manufacturer in Talgo made the light-weight aluminum coaches and can travel at a great speed because of their weight, which does not need any de-acceleration at sharp turns unlike the usual coaches of the Indian Railways.

Mr. Kumar also added that the train would journey t between Delhi and Mumbai route at top speed as scheduled for the third trial run.

The current trial is envisaged to run for 25 days. The train will run a trial on the route of  Delhi-Mumbai for 5-6  days once the second trial has ended.

The Indian Railways as of recent began the Gatimaan Express semi high-speed train, which runs between Delhi railway stations and Agra Cantonment stations at 160 kmph and is planning to introduce more trains which can travel at high speeds on routes that are very busy like the Delhi-Mumbai.

If it works out, the train is envisaged to journey within 12 hours between Delhi and Mumbai a journey that presently takes about 17 hours.

Aside the fact that Talgo train is faster, they are also up to 30% more environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

Changes in INDIAN RAILWAY/ IRCTC Passenger Reservation System

  1. 01st JULY 2016 Passengers will get refund amount of 50% on cancellation of tatkal tickets.
  2. There has been slight change made by the Indian Railways for booking tatkal tickets. From July 1, tatkal window for AC coach will be open between 10 am to 11 am and for sleeper coach the timing will be from 11 am to 12 pm.
  3. From July 1 the Waiting list system will come to an end and tickets will be issued only for confirmed and RAC passengers accommodation. The provisions for the waiting list will be ended.
  4. By next month the number of coaches in Rajdhani and Shatabdi will be increased.
  5. From July 1, Rajdhani and Shatabdi will move ahead with paper less tickets. Only mobile tickets will be valid on these trains.
  6. The Indian Railways officials website IRCTC, will also start booking tickets on various language.
  7. Premium trains will come to an end from July 1.
  8. The passengers can also get 50 percent return after cancelling Suvidha train tickets.
  9. The passengers will also get ‘wake up call destination’ facility in the trains from July 1

Bio Diesel Mixed Fuel for Diesel Locomotives

 

In tune with the policy declared by Indian Railway to save fuel cost, blending of biodiesel and a dispensing facility  has begun to function at the railway division of Palakkad. The introduction of this biodiesel blending and the dispensing facility at the Fueling point / RCD (Railway Consumer Depots) was in cooperation with M/s.Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, which took place in Palakkad. The biodiesel will be mixed with HSD (High-Speed Diesel)  up to 5 percent, which then serve as fuel for locomotives. The mixed biodiesel fuel for locomotives is the first of its kind made in the state of Keralago by Southern Railway

 

The Divisional Railway Manager  Naresh Lalwani inaugurated this innovative step on Thursday 19th  of May 2016 at the Railway Consumer Depots very close to Palakkad Junction station. At the occasion were Shri T. Sampath Narayanan, Chief Manager Kerala State Office  and  Shri Suresh. A., Shri Mohan A Menon, Consumer Sales Deputy Manager, Indian Oil Corporation, Also Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer accompanied by the DRM, Shri B. Venogopal, and the Divisional Railway Manager.

The Indian Railways support blending of biodiesel with diesel fuel from 5 percent up to 20 percent, which is to be utilized for its locomotives, to have substantial savings in the  cost of fuel. At present, a litre of diesel cost the Railway  Rs.48/-  when bought in bulk amounts. Whereas the cost of a litre of biodiesel is for Rs.39/-, which helps to save  Rs.9/- per litre. The Railway Consumer Depots at Palakkad consumes 20,000 litres of diesel for locomotives in a day. For the starting phase, the Division plans to blend 5% biodiesel. In a short time, the Railway Consumer Depots at Manual Junction and  Kannur will benefit from this innovative. The fuelling depots in Kannur, Mangaluru junction, and Palakkad altogether fuels in a day 1,60,000 litres of diesel.

Biodiesel is a fuel replacement that is renewable, cleaner-burning diesel, which is good for any engine that uses diesel. It is made from an increasingly various mix of resources like; algae, recycled cooking oil, fatty acids, agricultural oils, and animal fats. Biodiesel is a green fuel. It has no petroleum, and at any level, petroleum diesel can be blended with it to make a blended biodiesel. It can be used in diesel  (compression ignition) engines with no major modifications. It is easy to use, not- toxic and biodegradable. It has also been established that Biodiesel increases the efficiency of fuel and enhance the lubricity of fuel. Biodiesel is green, clean, and eco-friendly in nature.

Benefits of Biodiesel

  • Biodiesel is very safe when it comes to handling compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
  • It is made from renewable sources
  • It can be utilized in prevailing diesel engines with no need for modifications
  • Biodiesel is less toxic when compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
  • It has lower greenhouse gas and exhaust emissions
  • Research has established that the exhaust of biodiesel has a little or no harmful impact on human health unlike the  petroleum diesel
  • It can be locally grown, produced and distributed
  • It is bio-degradable in nature and has so many environmentally beneficial properties.
  • Provides better fuel economy and reliance on fossil fuel
  • With the continuous rise of petroleum products, Biodiesel has begun to be an affordable option compared to petroleum diesel.

 

The first solar train set for a trial run in Jodhpur ,India

  • The Indian Railways is all set for the trial of its solar train as it has aimed to materialise its intended plan of harnessing the solar energy which is to run, in the city of  Jodhpur.

    North Western Railways PRO Gopal Sharma said that the top coaches in the train had been installed with Solar panels. The energy that these panels derived from the sun, will be used to generate internal electricity for lights, and power the fans both the non-AC and AC coaches in the train while the train would be powered by conventional diesel-run engines. For the running of the train, 12 solar panels will be fitted to the top of the coaches to generate 36000 watts of power. He also added that the trial run of the solar train will commence by the end of May this year.

    Gopal Sharma further said that the train will serve as a passenger train, and the route will be disclosed later and that this solar panel powered train will be an alternative energy source.

    When Sharma was asked about the benefits the Railways intend to get through the use of the solar panels; he said that it can only be ascertained untill after the trial run.

    The Indian Railways have been concentrating on other means for the source of fuels with trials already on to utilise natural gas, biodiesel and CNG among others.

    In recent times, India has been under many scanners contributing to the reason why India is listed among the most polluted countries across the globe. The government is trying to make this initiative a way to reduce pollution in India. Studies have it that, CO2 emission will be reduced by 200 tonnes if India can consume solar energy. Also, if the run train trial using solar energy becomes successful,  diesel consumption will be reduced by about 90,000 litres every year in the country. This act will both help to carry out the intended green initiative to making India a very clean environment for all and also help to reduce total dependence on fossil fuels and also serve as an alternative to fossil fuels which is on the verge of depletion.

    Indian Railways has decided to source for 1000 MW  solar power and build one hundred and thirty- two wind farms for the next 5 years as part of its go green initiative

    The CNG is being utilised in the local trains of the Delhi Division on Rohtak-Rewari section. The concept of using both diesel and  CNG as fuel has also been a great help in saving money and fuel.

    The use of this solar power is expected to help significantly in the reduction of the consumption of diesel and expected to be cost-effective.

     

Reinventing the Indian Railways | Suresh Prabhu | TEDxGateway

Shri Suresh Prabhu talks about how he is aiming to reinvent the Indian railways by providing better solution to today’s problems.

Suresh Prabu is an Indian Politician & current Railway Minister of India. Armed with education ,ability, understanding, high integrity, zero corruption. He currently represents Haryana in Upper House of Indian Parliament, and is a 4th time member of the Lok Sabha from Rajapur Constituency of Maharashtra. He has also been Industry Minister , Minister of Fertilizers and Chemicals, Union Minister for Power (GOI) He is also a believer in people’s participation in the working of the Ministries under him, especially through the involvement of NGOs and people’s groups.Suresh Prabhu is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.He is Presently pursuing 2 PhD programs in climate change and economics in Germany and Mumbai.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more athttp://ted.com/tedx

Rail Budget 2016: clean coaches via SMS, CCTVs to rein in touts, Baby food

Railway minister Mr. Prabhu in a bid to change the image about the national transporter has desired to improve the amenities for passengers. He proposed the cancellation of tickets by calling enquiry number 139 to reduce time loss for passengers while queuing up at counters. Also, he proposed CCTV cameras installation at the ticket booking counters, which is seen as a step towards reducing, in particular, the menace of touts engagement in the booking of bulk Tatkal tickets.

Also, Mr. Prabhu unveiled the clean my coach services by passengers through SMS to enhance trains sanitation. He also unveiled ways to bring two mobile apps for offering suggestions, to redress grievances, ticketing issues, and complaints. To provide on-time information on coming halt, the Railways plans to unveil digital displays GPS-based very soon inside the coaches. He has also proposed smart coaches with entertainment screens and automatic doors for advertisements.

The Railway Minister has planned to invite the FM radio stations to provide their services on selected trains. Also, he said passengers will be opportunity to buy insurance travel for rail journeys, and there will be a facility on an hourly basis for retiring rooms booking.

The Railway 2016 Budget was additionally flavored with a powerful dose of passenger conveniences, including toilets, and e-cancellation of tickets. Also,  in the Konkan Railway, Sarathi Seva to help disabled the old installation of the 30,000 bio-toilets, providing compact structures with bio-toilets for senior citizens at all stages of key stations. He also proposed “Janani Sewa” for the provision of baby milk, hot water and food for children. He said the Railways had got help via Corporate Social Responsibility funds and MPLAD.

The railway minister said the Railways fulfilled its social rights towards women travellers, senior citizens and Divyang. He said for the Divyang, the Railways introduces one-time registration to avail concessions while booking online for wheelchairs, booking for tickets online, and Braille-approved new coaches.

Mr.Prabhu said lower berths increase quota will be provided for the women travellers and senior citizens. Also, he said, the Railways will increase the quota per coach by 50% for the senior citizen in the coming financial year, which will result in additional one hundred and twenty lower berths per train. Mr Prabhu added that the railways has added more lifts and escalators and laid aside the middle bays in coaches for the security of the women.

India Rail Budget 2016

Suresh Prabhu The Railway minister to expand rail network and  speed up trains, Fares not affected as state polls approach; big freight push

Suresh Prabhu, the railway minister, steered Rail Budget 2016-17 on Feb 27 with promises of a financial turnaround, a qualitative improvement in passenger amenities, reforms in the Railway Board’s functioning and raising the speed of trains in the course of change. Not falling for the bait of increasing the rates of passenger freight and fares in a year with four states heading for Assembly elections, the railway minister Mr. Prabhu made the promise of expanding the rail network massively and moving international standards to run trains.

The railway minister enumerated seven goals aside the (2030) National Rail Plan for the multi-modal transport system in India, to get back the freight share lost to the road sector. He doubled the speed of goods trains, ensuring zero accidents, adding 25 km/h  to the speed of mail over the next five years and express trains.

Mr. Suresh also said very soon; he will ask Parliament to set up a Tariff Authority and Rail Development, which will propose passenger fares and freight rates among other things. Accepting the report of the Bibek Debroy Committee’s partially, Mr. Suresh proposed the long-anticipated restructuring of the Railway Board, with its chairman well empowered to set up cross-functional directorates and to work on corporate lines.

Showing in the current fiscal, a cash surplus of Rs 8,720 crores, the railway minister secured the operating ratio, at 92 per cent, i.e., expenditure against earnings. He proposed a plan expenditure of Rs 1.21 lakh crores against Rs 1 lakh crores the revised budget estimate of last year. To mop up revenue, he also set a target (2016-17) of  Rs 1,84,820 crores. Laced with many terms of Hindi, Mr. Prabhu gave the slogan of “Let’s do something new together” (Chalo milkar kuch naya karen),  which seems to show the stamp of  Narendra Modi The Prime Minister. It captured the new idea of partnering with PSU firms, private players, and state governments, to take up new projects. “The Three Pillars of the plan for us is Nav Sanrachna (new structures), Nav Maanak (new norms) and Nav Arjan (new revenues),” said Mr. Suresh in his seventy-five-minute speech delivered at his special “bullet” speed.

Mr. Suresh proposed Antyodaya Express, a new train, Seeking an image makeover to fascinate the Narendra Modi government to the poor, to run at super fast speed, meant for unreserved passengers. He also unveiled unreserved DeenDayalu coaches with a higher number of mobile charging points and potable water. Also, there will be Humsafar (totally 3rd AC) new trains with Uday, optional meal facilities, which will be double-decker service (overnight), and Utkrisht for the busiest routes, a double-decker AC Yatri Express.

The railway minister laid an enthusiastic target to provide assured berths by 2020 on demand, while saying two DFCs (dedicated freight corridors) [Ludhiyana to Dankuni and Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port ] would be achieved by 2019, to throw open more tracks to run additional passenger trains. Mr. Suresh also proposed three more dedicated freight corridors on the Bhubaneswar-Mumbai, Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam, and New Delhi-Chennai routes to gain back the lost traffic freight.