Shri Rajiv Chaudhry, General Manager, North Central Railway on 18.08.20 reviewed position of Safety, works related to 160 Kmph speed raising on New Delhi-Howrah and New Delhi Mumbai trunk routes and other important items through video conferencing with PHODs of North Central Railway and Divisional Railway Managers Prayagraj, Jhansi and Agra.
- First of all safety in train operations was discussed.
- Important works on running lines related to maintenance of track, signaling and OHE etc. are carried out during traffic block.
- For ensuring safety of trains as well as maintenance personnel during block working strict rules and detailed procedures are stipulated for grant of block, maintenance work during block and cancellation of traffic block.
- Reviewing traffic block working on North Central Railway, GM Sri Rajiv Chaudhry instructed that laid down procedure for carrying out maintenance during traffic block must be followed without any exception.
- He directed divisions that officers related to operation and maintenance need to regularly audit the block working under their jurisdiction and any deviation in field against stipulated norms must be set right immediately to ensure safety of trains as well as Railway personnel.
- Recently NCR has completed survey of illumination at level crossing gates over three divisions.
Speed raising works on trunk routes:
- Works related to speed raising to 160 kmph on New Delhi-Howrah and New Delhi-Mumbai trunk routes over NCR jurisdiction are being reviewed regularly by the General Manager for smooth execution and targeted completion of this important and critical work.
- Besides up-gradation to existing track, signaling, OHE and installation of way side train monitoring equipments and train examination facilities; construction of boundary wall is one of the most important and cost intensive component of speed raising work.
- Construction of boundary wall is mainly needed in Prayagraj division on New Delhi- Howrah route as boundary wall is already available on most of the Palwal-Mathura section of NCR falling on New Delhi- Mumbai trunk route.
- Reviewing 160 kmph speed raising works GM Shri Rajiv Chaudhry stressed upon all work executing agencies to utilize current lean period of passenger train operations to carry out works requiring traffic block on existing lines on Prayagraj and Agra divisions.
Solar Plants:
- To bring overall economy to this work as well as to use vacant Railway land for harnessing renewable solar energy; Railway has devised a plan under which boundary wall along track in areas identified for putting solar plant shall be constructed by agency entrusted for installing solar plant while balance boundary wall shall have to be constructed by Railways.
- North Central Railway has now identified approximately 390 track kilometers length which can be utilized for installing solar plant on vacant land after leaving requisite margin for maintenance and future Railway installations.
- Earlier norms of minimum 3.5 meters width of land for installing solar panels along railway tracks was yielding only 180 kms length for putting solar plant; however current assessments of NCR are based on relaxed criteria which allows use of lesser width patch also for installing solar panels.
- This will bring economy in boundary wall construction by Railways as well as allow use of more land for harnessing renewable and clean solar energy.
- Installation of solar plant on land identified by North Central Railway shall be done by agency awarded this work from Railway Board level which is also under process.
Source: North Central Railway-Press Release | Image Credit (representational): North Central Railway
