New Delhi: Railways has drawn up a safety upgrade plan that includes training of loco pilots on simulators and outsourcing of some components of maintenance operations, officials said. The move comes in the backdrop of several train accidents over the last two years.
The Railway Board has asked all zonal railways to explore the possibility of outsourcing the maintenance of machines used in track renewal operations, according to the officials. These track machines are required for maintenance and renewal of tracks, but owing to shortage of staff, either because of vacancies or due to non-creation of adequate posts, this activity gets hampered and machines remain underutilised.
In a directive, the Railway Board has asked the zonal railways to explore the possibility of outsourcing these activities to make up for manpower shortages.
"The proposed upgrade would focus on improved track maintenance," the official said, adding that newer technology is also being inducted.
Due to higher utilisation of existing tracks owing to increasing traffic, maintenance block spells available for track maintenance have decreased. This leads to the need for integrated track machines which have incorporated tamper and track stabiliser for faster maintenance operations.
"The track maintenance machines currently available with Indian Railways do not have integrated capability," one of the officials said.
The upgrade is expected to result in standardisation of machines across the railways fleet.
"Orders have been placed for loco simulators and upgrading track maintenance machines," the official aware of the development told ET, adding that both local and international suppliers have been tapped.
So far, contracts worth ₹212.25 crore have been awarded for buying 17 loco simulators, which have been bagged by companies from Spain, Belgium and Poland, besides Indian players.
Besides big-ticket procurements, smaller value purchases like automatic fire detection and suppression systems have also been undertaken.
The Railway Board has asked all zonal railways to explore the possibility of outsourcing the maintenance of machines used in track renewal operations, according to the officials. These track machines are required for maintenance and renewal of tracks, but owing to shortage of staff, either because of vacancies or due to non-creation of adequate posts, this activity gets hampered and machines remain underutilised.
In a directive, the Railway Board has asked the zonal railways to explore the possibility of outsourcing these activities to make up for manpower shortages.
"The proposed upgrade would focus on improved track maintenance," the official said, adding that newer technology is also being inducted.
Due to higher utilisation of existing tracks owing to increasing traffic, maintenance block spells available for track maintenance have decreased. This leads to the need for integrated track machines which have incorporated tamper and track stabiliser for faster maintenance operations.
"The track maintenance machines currently available with Indian Railways do not have integrated capability," one of the officials said.
The upgrade is expected to result in standardisation of machines across the railways fleet.
"Orders have been placed for loco simulators and upgrading track maintenance machines," the official aware of the development told ET, adding that both local and international suppliers have been tapped.
So far, contracts worth ₹212.25 crore have been awarded for buying 17 loco simulators, which have been bagged by companies from Spain, Belgium and Poland, besides Indian players.
Besides big-ticket procurements, smaller value purchases like automatic fire detection and suppression systems have also been undertaken.
You may also like
India vs Bangladesh Test Playing 11: Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant likely to return; Check full team prediction
'US-India relationship had never been stronger', says Trump aide ahead of PM Modi Meeting
UP Schools Closed Today, Holiday Announced in THESE Districts Due to Incessant Rains
Uttar Pradesh: Goods train derail in Mathura
