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By around 2020, IR wants to reach an ideal state in most respects, be financially sound and have progressed significantly in new and other projects, many pending for years. Or, do a retrospective fix for neglect. It wants to be an agent of transformation by kick-starting more Dedicated Freight Corridors, HSRs and social connectivity projects.
1. Is it worthwhile to focus energies on cleanliness, speed, punctuality, ticketing efficiency, speedy grievance response, e-catering, disabled access, drinking water facilities, passenger information systems, station displays screens (RDN), ample non-reserved coaches, improved coaches, CCTV, timetabled freight, cheap travel insurance, radio, wifi, etc.?
IR thinks passenger amenities, customer care and service improvements are worthwhile; it also does away with pantry cars. PIS, RDN and branding are potential revenue earners. Wifi is a very clever idea.
2. Should IR be spending its scarce resources on improved coaches, deluxe coaches, renewable energy, safety works, station modernisation, mechanised laundries and station cleaners, elevators, automated track-laying machines, water vending machines, CCTV, PIS, RDN, train branding, etc?
IR wants to thoroughly modernise operations, as also to enhance non-fare revenue, increase passenger fares, provide for speedier and improved quality of output, and achieve more with the same manpower.
3. Will it be able to profit from reducing freight rates?
IR wants to reduce freight rates and gain share in varied categories of freight. IR will balance freight fare reduction with higher passenger fares.
4. Will improving speed help to increase capacity? What are the mechanisms for increasing speed safely?
IR has started a mission for speed, principally to attract customers back to railways. One result is to increase capacity. IR has recently published its to-do list, eg. engine power, braking distance, modern locos and coaches, the safety of tracks, gauge conversion, de-clogging bottlenecks, signalling, electrification.
5. How does electrification help to speed up traction? Does IR have funds to step up electrification?
Electric locos pull at much higher speed. Power PSUs will expedite full electrification in a few years. Costs are reimbursed out of Rs 18,000 crore diesel bill. IR will stop making diesel locos and instead make only dual fuel MEMU and electric locos.
6. What are the possibilities for trimming fat or operational expenses? Is there any beneficial investment in this regard?
It is on the highest need-to-prove agenda. IR can look to trim staff (e.g. manned level crossings, signalling, workshops, some line expertise); reduce power and fuel costs; compile costs & outcomes data (for benchmarking, cost savings, best practice); use audits to identify useful investments, eg. low maintenance materials in coaches, energy efficiency equipment & control systems, IT & automation, mechanization, satellites & drones, etc.
7. Does railways benefit from GST?
IR gains if warehouses are centralised en route, and IR can capture the business.
8. Are there investments which have high benefits to other parties, where Govt or others can be persuaded to co-invest?
IR has entered into JVCs with states for this reason; in areas such as safety (reduces road congestion, saves lives), suburban rail (greater connectivity, reduces inward migration to metros); port/ coal mine/industrial connectivity (economic benefit to many stakeholders).
9. Do the following operationally help IR: collect and treat human waste, eliminate narrow gauge, electrification, track safety devices, access control of tracks, eliminate level crossings, better tracks or lower tare coaches or more efficient locos?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Staff reduction and safely increase speed. Ditto. Ditto. Yes, higher profits - moving to 25-tonne loading, then 30 tonnes in DFC. Talgo coaches are lighter, more fuel efficient, faster. Improved locos have been contracted.
10. Will adding extra freight lines (dedicated freight corridors) and/ or extra HSR lines be transformational?
Both will. Dedicated tracks designed for specialist roles, also free existing tracks, so markedly increase average speeds. DFC should lower freight rates, is suited for fast loading & unloading and fits well with centralised logistics. HSR - after establishing its viability on a case by case basis - should offer better & more flexible connectivity to tier 2 cities; have a higher frequency, lower fares, very high capacity, less import content; minimise the use of fossil fuels and have the option for freight.
Note on Article
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Indian railways stats are misleading because nearly half the daily ridership comes from short suburban routes. As most metro-systems are loss-making, IR should be adequately compensated for this. IR should be making money on intercity passenger routes, but it is not on account of the lack of investment in capacity, speed, passenger amenities, safety and cost efficiency. Other modes of travel are fast improving and competition is intensifying.
India is a densely populated country, with higher footfalls than China. So, India should have lower fares per KM compared to China. But due to cross-subsidisation, its freight rates are too high, out of sync with China and must come down. IR is constrained from increasing tonnage due to capacity limitations. Indian Railway has good plans to improve its long-haul passenger and freight businesses.
3 reforms to put railways on fast track | The Asian Age
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A new initiative under Mission Raftar will do away with diesel engines and replace them with electricity-run engines. The railways have already started replacing passenger trains on short routes with electric-hauled MEMU trains
Diesel-guzzling engines of Indian Railways will soon give way to the fast-moving trains running on electricity.
In a first step towards phasing out diesel engines, the railways has begun replacing passenger trains on short routes with electric-hauled MEMU trains. This aims at increasing the speed of trains by up to 25 kmph and reducing air pollution by minimizing the use of diesel. Railway officials said the use of electric engines will also save on fuel cost as it is cheaper that diesel.
MISSION RAFTAR
The initiative is a part of 'Mission Raftar' announced by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in the Rail Budget this year. The mission envisages a target of doubling of average speed of freight trains and increasing the average speed of all non-suburban passenger trains by 25 kmph in next 5 years. At present the average speeds for non-suburban passenger trains is 46.3 kmph and for freight trains the average speeds is 24.2 kmph.
To implement the plan, a cross-functional mission directorate has been created in the Railway Board. "Action Plan for improving mobility and increasing average speed of trains incude replacement of conventional loco hauled commuter trains by Main Line Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) and Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains," said a railway ministry official.
REPLACEMENT ALREADY BEGUN
To begin with, railways have already begun replacing diesel engines on Kanpur-Allahabad section and Asansol-Dhanbad section.
A senior Railway Board officer said cash crunch is mainly responsible for slow pace of producing electric engines. Railways are also expediting the work on electrification of railway network so as to remove diesel engines from service.
On an average 1350 km of rail line is electrified every year. However, the Union Power Ministry has proposed to fund railway's electrification and recover the cost from the ministry at later stage. With electrification of the entire rail network, the railways may gradually stop the production of diesel locomotives and also reduce the use of diesel as a fuel.
With this, railways may be able to cut down its expenses on fuel by up to `18,000 crore annually.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indian-railways-mission-raftar-diesel-run-trains-high-speed-trains-electricity/1/737653.html
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