Interview Insights:
Rail Analysis: In the recent budget, Indian Railways has adopted a new approach for infrastructure development under the PM Gati Shakti Mission, enhancing Multi-Modal connectivity. As part of this initiative, three key Economic Railway Corridors have been identified. Please present us your views on the recent Union Budget presented and what are your views on the same?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal:- Introduction: The three economic corridors namely Energy, Mineral & Cement Corridors, High traffic density routes (Routes carrying 81% cargo) and Rail Sagar (port connectivity) together comprises of 434 projects with total track length of ~40,900 km and investment of INR 11.17 lakh crore over 8-10 years.
Planning: These corridors will bring in transformative shift from project-based approach to program-based approach in IR. It will provide connectivity for mines, ports, power houses, industries and improve capacity across all high-density routes.
These corridors have been planned for multimodal connectivity: identification of gap projects and bottlenecks along the network, using PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan with stakeholder consultation with all Zonal Railways, Infrastructure Line ministries, etc.,
Impact: These corridors are projected to enable IR in carrying additional freight capacity of about 1300 MT from current loading of 1591 MT achieved in FY 2023-24, thus increasing modal share of railways from current level of 27% to 35%.
These corridors will serve about 51 crore population, provide seamless rail connectivity from Jammu to Kanyakumari and Okha to Dibrugarh. These will cater to 2178 mines and provide first mile rail connectivity to 29 unconnected ports. In comparison to road, railway is 2.25 cheaper and 11 times more efficient in terms of carbon emissions.
It is estimated that these corridors will play a key role in improving logistics efficiency of the country and post completion will enable ₹1.8 Lakh Cr /year savings on Logistics cost, ₹1.28 Lakh Cr /year savings on diesel cost and thus reducing CO2 emission to the tune of 8,055 crore kg per year which is equivalent to planting about 322 crore trees.
Rail Analysis: How does Indian Railways plan to launch the ‘Kavach’ system throughout the country? Is Indian Railways planning to partner with global companies for the ‘Kavach’ technology? How can they contribute to this complete modernization of Indian Rail network?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal: Indian Railways has developed its own National Automatic Train Protection System (ATP) system “Kavach” for enhancing safety of train operations. This technology has been indigenously developed under “Aatm Nirbhar Bharat” vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister and was declared as National ATP in July 2020.
Kavach is a technology intensive and complex system catering to diverse traffic conditions of Indian Railways. The Technical specifications for Kavach version 4.0 approved in July 2024, trials for the same are in progress at about 400 RKm. At present, about 1,465 RKm of Kavach already deployed and work are in progress 3,000 Rkm for high density routes of Delhi-Mumbai & Delhi-Howrah. Kavach Works are sanctioned for 35,800 RKM.
Rail Analysis: How do you see the opportunity for Indian companies to participate in global projects and provide solutions in other developing nations for their railway network? Do you see for the indigenous technology being exported to other overseas countries?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal: IR has a rich history of leveraging and developing indigenous technology, and it’s increasingly gaining recognition on the international stage.
Development of Indigenous Technologies: The development of the Vande Bharat Express, which is a semi-high-speed train, is one of the notable achievements. It features cutting-edge technology designed and manufactured in India.
Vande Bharat Sleeper has recently been launched along and soon Vande Bharat metros will be launched. The Indian Railways offers a plethora of opportunities for various industries to collaborate and contribute to its growth and development. IR has set an ambitious target to almost double its Railway network by 2047 and develop infrastructure in line with demand.
Some of these opportunities include-
Infrastructure development: Indian Railways is constantly upgrading and expanding its infrastructure, including tracks, mechanization of track inspection.
Signaling and telecommunication: Indian Railways is upgrading its signaling and telecommunication systems. There are ample of scope in Kavach, Automatic Signaling etc.
Station redevelopment: Indian Railways is redeveloping its stations to provide better amenities and services to passengers.
Rail Analysis: Indian Railways plans to create Mega Railway Terminals with Multi-Modal connectivity in cities with population exceeding 10 Lakh (1 Million). The programme is part of the infrastructure being developed for Hon’ble Prime Minister’s “Viksit Bharat” initiative. Can you please provide us more insight into this?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal: Indian Railways plans to revolutionize urban transportation by establishing mega terminals in cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh. This is in line to the “Viksit Bharat” initiative with a broader vision for infrastructure development and modernization, aiming to transform urban and transport infrastructure across the country.
The plan involves the creation of mega railway terminals that serve as central hubs for passenger and freight transport. These terminals are designed to handle high volumes of traffic and integrate with other transportation modes such as metro systems, buses, and taxis.
The focus is on cities with populations of over 1 million, recognizing their significant role in national and regional transport networks. These cities include major urban centers like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and others.
Key benefits of Mega Terminals:
Improved Connectivity: By providing seamless connections between different modes of transportation, these terminals will make it easier for commuters to travel within and between cities.
Enhanced Capacity: The development of mega terminals will increase the capacity to handle passenger and freight traffic, reducing congestion and improving efficiency.
Improved Passenger Experience: Modern facilities, better amenities, and streamlined processes at the terminals will enhance the overall passenger experience, making travel more comfortable and efficient.
Reduced Congestion: By diverting passengers to public transport, these terminals can help alleviate traffic congestion on roads.
Enhanced Passenger Experience: With modern amenities and facilities, these terminals will offer a more comfortable and convenient experience for passengers.
Economic Development: These mega projects can boost local economies by creating jobs and attracting investment.
Integration with Urban Planning: The terminals will be integrated into broader urban planning efforts, including the development of surrounding infrastructure and real estate, to create well-connected urban centers.
Rail Analysis: How do you see the role of technology evolving in the rail industry, particularly concerning infrastructure, signalling and telecom sector and How is IR adapting to these changes?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal: Indian Railways has been evolving and upgrading its technology in various ways, including modern track structure and maintenance practices, electrification of Railway Tracks, Automatic Signalling for its entire network, Intelligent Signaling Systems-to improve safety and efficiency, implementation of Kavach etc.
Mechanization of track inspection, monitoring, maintenance and relaying has been put on fast track with best available technology around the world. The availability of track maintenance machines has improved more than doubled since 2014. Improved machine availability and the use of modern technology has resulted in improved track reliability.
Rail Analysis: Please share some insights into the Station redevelopment programme. How can the global companies participate in this initiative of the Government?
Shri Anil Kumar Khandelwal: The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme has recently been launched by Government of India for development of Railway stations on Indian Railways. This scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach.
It involves preparation of Master Plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’, better passenger information systems, Executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meeting, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.
The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating the station with both side of the city, multi-modal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballast-less tracks, ‘Roof Plazas’ as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centers at the station in the long term.
Under the scheme, the planning and work execution in these Stations is ongoing at an unprecedented pace. Works have commenced at 1,155 stations, while master planning or tendering is in progress at the balance 169 stations.
Five stations already developed and dedicated to the nation in recent past and two of them very recently i.e. Ayodhya Dham junction (30.12.2023) and Gomti Nagar (26.02.2024). The glimpse of the completed works at these Stations, showcase the glimpse of Viksit Bharat.
These Station redevelopment works are targeted to be completed over next four years. The improved stations would bring in new identity to the cities, act as city centres and would reflect local cultural elements. 169 more stations are coming shortly and many more will come in future.
Image credit: Railway Board
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