Metro Rail News July 2020: Privatisation of Railways

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ISSN 2582-2330 / Vol. IV / Issue 43 / Monthly / July 2020

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EDITOR NOTE

Roadmap for private participatio n in Railway

Dear Readers, In 167-year history of Indian Railway, this is possibly the first time Railways has come this far on the route to privatization. Railways has invited ‘Request for Qualifications’ from private entities to operate train services on existing rail infrastructure. Train operations are for 109 origin-destination (OD) pairs of routes using 151 modern trains in 12 clusters and 5% of the Railway’s Mail and Express services.

Undoubtedly, privatisation will be a structural change for Railways. With a route length of 67,415 kilometers, one of the world’s four largest rail networks, it is now facing keen competition, with passengers and freight shifting to other modes of travel. Private sector investment is indeed welcome.

From a passenger perspective, there is a need for more train services, particularly between big cities, with the Railway Board claiming that 50 million passengers could not be accommodated during 2019-20 for want of capacity, with a 13.3% travel demand oversupply during summer and festival seasons.

Privatisation will create class divisions among passengers. Just like the private and government hospitals, the Railways-run train will become the poor man’s train and the private trains -- with better seating, cleanliness, more facilities for a higher fare -- will become the rich man’s train.

Ultimately, Railways should build tracks and infrastructure and let private operators run trains to promote competition, efficiency and to protect consumer interest. Despite the concern over two classes of trains, while private operators take care of the premium segment, Railways can provide more services to the common man.

Our July issue focuses on exciting topics such as CBTC, Electric Traction Systems, Third Rail, Pantograph and also provides a cover story on Privatisation of Railway. Ahmedabad, Surat Metro, Dholera Metro Project cover under the project of the month and exclusive Interviews Mr. S N Subrahmanyan, CEO and MD of L&T and Dr. Mangu Singh, MD, DMRC along with other regular columns such as new development in metro project, pre/post-event coverage, technology updates, News analysis, Article, opinions, Awards, appointments, News around the world, live tenders, Industry contract, upcoming events and current job openings.

I would also like to express my most profound appreciation to all our readers for your constant support, and our valuable authors, reviewers, for their contributions, service, and interest.

I highly appreciate your support and hope to continue our collaboration further. Please feel free to provide your valuable feedback and suggestions on this issue to my email address mentioned below.

We encourage everyone to take extra precautions necessary to safeguard their health and that of others.

Stay informed about the situation in your local community by consulting and following the advice of your local health authorities.

Together we will get through this.

Narendra Shah Managing Editor Metro Rail News (A Symbroj Media Publication) E-mail: editor@metrorailnews.in

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CONTENT

CONTENTS Index

Editor Note

06

News Highlights

9

Cover Story

17

Exclusive Interview:

19

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( 1 ) Mr. S N Subrahmanyan, CEO and MD of L&T ( 2 ) Dr. Mangu Singh, MD, DMRC

Appoinment

22

Project of the month

23

Featured Project

25

Focused System

26

Case study

33

Opinion

35

Spotlight

36

Railway Privatisation

37

Make in India

39

Expert View

41

Article

42

Press Releas

45

Industry News

47

Technology Update

49

Job

50

Event

51

Metro rail Project Status

52

Live Tender

54

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23

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS The traffic within Doon city and Haridwar city. Under this, ropeways will be built in Dehradun city. At the same time, Personal Rapid Transport (PRT) will be operated in Haridwar city. According to Kaushik, the government plans to operate ropeway in Haridwar from Har ki Podi to Chandi Devi.

Similarly, it has been agreed to connect Neelkanth with Ropeway from Rishikesh.

20 Delhi Metro staff have tested positive for Covid-19 till date

T

wenty Delhi Metro staff, staying in Delhi-NCR, have tested positive for COVID-19 till date, sources said on June 4, 2020.

Many Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials have been coming to the office or to station premises to ensure the smooth resumption of services, whenever the orders come from the government.

Twenty Delhi Metro staff, living in Delhi and its neighbouring cities, have tested positive for COVID-19 till date, the sources said.

The DMRC on Thursday also put out a tweet, saying, "Along with the rest of the country, DMRC is also fighting the battle against COVID-19. Delhi Metro's employees have shown exemplary resilience in reporting back to their duties to keep the Metro system in all readiness for eventual r e s u m p t i o n o f s e r v i c e s . #DMRCFightsCOVID".

UMTA approves 73-km Deharadun Haridwar-Rishikesh Metro Rail The Unif ied Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) in its recent meeting on June 11, 2020, approved 73-km long Deharadun-Haridwar-Rishikesh Metro Rail corridor in Uttrakhand. The estimated cost of the project would be Rs 40,150 crore. The decision was taken by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat who had chaired the meeting of UMTA. The proposal of the metro rail corridor from the Nepali Farm to the Vidhan sabha in Dehradun was also approved.

Madan Kaushik, the spokesperson for Uttarkhand Government, said that the government has also decided to simplify

Partial Metro services for emergency service workers may start in Kolkata Kolkata Metro Rail authorities have informed the West Bengal government that they will only be able to resume partial service in the city for workers in the essential services, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 29, 2020. On June 26, 2020, Banerjee said that Metro Services could resume if social distancing is maintained and passenger is allowed travelling while standing. “We have requested the Kolkata Metro Rail authorities to resume service in the city. They have told us that as of now they will be providing service for those working in essential services such as police and health workers,� said Banerjee. She also said that the Kolkata Metro Rail authorities are also preparing a mobile application for these workers.

According to sources in the state administration during the meeting at the state secretariat, Kolkata Metro Rail authorities said that at present there are some issues with immediately resuming service, especially while maintaining social distancing. They have said that since four doors of metro compartments open simultaneously, it will be tough to control the entry of passengers when 32 passengers open at once after a train enters a station. It will also be difficult to manage the entry of passengers at the main entrance of metro stations since there is a lack of adequate RPF personnel.

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation receives its first lot of rail tracks from Japan The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has received its first lot of rail tracks from Japan on June 09, 2020 The arrival of the first lot, weighing 3,615 metric tonnes is a significant milestone as the civil work on the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro-3 corridor is getting completed in portions and track works can be taken up, MMRC said in a press statement.

The tracks came from Mitsui & Co Ltd, Japan, travelling four weeks on high seas.

The remaining lot of 7,125 metric tonnes will also arrive in two batches this year.

The Managing Director of MMRC, Ranjit Singh Deol in the statement said that the tracks had made with a new technology, which will reduce the noise and vibration levels during train operations. This a crucial development as MMRC moves closer to creating a faster and more convenient way to travel, he said.

Kanpur metro construction gained momentum after lockdown

Kanpur Metro rail construction work has gained momentum after the lockdown.

Workers are now returning from their village back to the city. A total of 570 labourers are involved including the casting yard & corridor. With the help of bus and pickup vehicles of the contractor company, the workers are being taken back to the work. Camps are being developed in the casting yard for labourers to stay.

One hundred four rooms are to be built, out of that almost sixty has been finished.

Workers who have returned to work have also commenced living in the place. Since May 15, 2020, nearly 400 workers have turned to work.

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Kolkata East-West metro tunnelling work resumes at Bowbazar The tunnelling work of the East-West Metro near Bowbazar was resumed on June 20, 2 0 2 0, a f t e r t w o m o n t h s s i n c e t h e nationwide lockdown came into force in March. After remaining idle for more than 85 days, the tunnel boring machine, Urvi was brought into action again today. Urvi, had taken up the task of completing the tunnel earlier being dug by its twin, Chandi. The tunnelling work had to be stopped after Chandi, while burrowing through the earth below Durga Pithuri Lane hit an aquifer on August 31, last year. The TBM Chandi became defunct after the incident while Urvi was deployed to complete the job of excavating the remaining portion, covering a length of around 1.8 km. The stretch between Bowbazar and Sealdah is the last leg of the underground tunnelling of the East-West Metro Corridor.

Following the court order on February 11, Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) had restored the work along the Sealdah-bound tunnel on February 18.

The German burrower was upgraded and equipped with features to take immediate action within 60minutes in case of any untoward incident. The KMRCL engineers and experts at that time were expecting to complete the tunnelling work along the remaining stretch of East-West Metro from Bowbazar to Sealdah and back to Bowbazar, near the site of the TBM Chandi,

by March 2021. However, the countrywide lockdown in March halted the tunnelling task for over two months. After witnessing hurdles of the aquifer, a court order and lockdown, the authorities of KMRCL have now been able to resume work along the remaining stretch between Bowbazar and S e a l d a h Met ro St at i o n . Th e K M R C L authorities are putting their best efforts to maintain the norms while restarting fullfledged work.

EIB approves Rs. 3200 crores loan for Bhopal Metro

A loan of Rs 3200 crores has been approved for the Bhopal Metro from European Investment Bank (EIB). The contract will be signed when the international flight resumed. The remaining loan formalities have been completed by the Government of India, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Metro Rail Company and EIB. A senior official of the Metro Rail Company has confirmed that EIB will provide a loan of 400 million euros (Rs 3200 crore) According to the officials of the Metro Rail Co m p a ny, i f t h e l o c kd ow n h a d n o t happened, the agreement would have been signed by now. The EIB gave an in-principle approval in the last week of November. After this, the Government of India, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Co Limited completed the formalities on their behalf.

Noida Metro Aqua Line all set for expansion with these 5 five metro stations The Noida Metro Rail Corporation has recently invited tenders for extension of the Noida Metro rail network. The Noida Metro network is set to be extended with five more metro stations namely, Noida Sector 122, Noida Sector 123, Greater Noida Sector 4, Eco Tech – 12, and Greater Noida Sector 2. A Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) official has confirmed to Financial Express Online that the tenders for the construction of these metro stations have already been floated and the last date and time for the submission of bids is June 29, 2020.

As per the details available on the NMRC website, the work contract includes part design and construction of elevated viaduct and five elevated above-mentioned metro s t a t i o n s . H oweve r, t h i s w i l l e xc l u d e architectural finishing works and PEB works of metro stations.

Andhra govt allocates Rs 3.6 cr for Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation The state govt has allotted Rs 8,150.24 cr of the budget 2020-21, of Rs 2.24 lakh cr for urban development. Of the allotment, for the creation of a necessary infrastructure in the new capital city, a majority of the funds have been earmarked.

The govt has also allotted Rs 3.6 cr for Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (ANRC) as urban development assistance to Visakhapatnam & Vijayawada metro projects.

The govt has already declared taking forward the Visakhapatnam metro project a s t h e exe c u t i ve c a p i t a l wo u l d b e transferred to the City of Destiny, it may be observed.

Vijayawada metro project didn’t get any update that waited in limbo.

The budgetary allocation encourages hopes as per the budget outcome report, Vijayawada metro project strategy involves three corridors.

With the first corridor from airport-PNBS by a railway station with a distance of 26 km, the second Corridor from PNBSPenamaluru 12.5 km with a distance of 38.5 km and the last Corridor-3 from Krishna Canal Junction-Amaravati with a distance of 24 km.

Delhi Metro starts casting work of u-girders for Janakpuri WestRK Ashram metro corridor

The casting work of u-girders which would be installed on the elevated section of the Janakpuri West - RK Ashram corridor has been commenced under Phase 4, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.

In an official release, DMRC said that these u-girders, 28 metres in length, will be subsequently installed on this corridor.

"The casting work is being done at the designated casting yard for this section, located at Mundka.

The commencement of the casting of the first u-girder was also witnessed by DMRC's Managing Director, Dr Mangu Singh and other senior officials via video conferencing on June 25, 2020," it said.

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Noida Metro Station Dedicated To Transgenders Renamed As "Rainbow Station”

Lite metro rail most viable for connecting KIA with Silk Board: BMRCL Following a study conducted by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), a sixcar metro system has emerged as the most viable mass transit system to connect the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with Silk Board. The BMRCL conducted the analysis through iDeCK for Outer Ring Road (Silk Board to KR Puram) and KR Puram to KIA lines. The study analysed various transit systems including, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Monorail, Metro Lite – elevated metro system (six- coach trains running at 3minute headway) and Heavy Metro (8coach trains at 3-minute headway). Various parameters which were considered for the a n a l ys i s i n c l u d e s m o b i l i t y e f f e c t s , conceptual engineering effect, cost of the project, environmental, and social impact were considered for evaluation.

According to the study on the Outer Ring Road Line, around 4.5 lakh employees are working in tech parks and other companies o n t h e c o r r i d o r. M o r e o v e r, a s p e r estimations, an additional 30 million square feet would be available for occupancy, which in turn projects eight lakh working population by the coming year. Due to the growing intra-city traffic, the Outer Ring Road (ORR) is under tremendous pressure and frequently faces traffic congestions resulting in low speeds and high travel times. Hence, considering the mobility and traffic trends, the report analyses that required travel demand for the ORR corridor is 33,709 PHPDT (peak hour peak directional traffic) by 2041 and that the BRTS and Monorail cannot meet them.

The Sector 50 station of the Noida-Greater Noida Metro which will be dedicated to the transgender community will now be called the "Rainbow Station", officials said on June 24, 2020.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), which operates the Noida-Greater Noida metro service, also known as the Aqua Line, has taken the decision based on suggestions from individuals and NGOs, they said. The NMRC had on June 19 announced its decision to convert the Sector 50 station into "She Man" station that shall have individual facilities and employment to the transgender people, in a first-of-its-kind initiative by a Metro rail system in northern India.

"The NMRC has received several suggestions from individuals and NGOs regarding a suitable name for the station which would correctly signify and represent the essence of the community. Keeping these suggestions in mind, the NMRC has decided to name the station as 'Rainbow' station," NMRC Managing Director Ritu Maheshwari Said "The NMRC has started this initiative with very noble intentions and aim to empower the transgender community," she added.

KMRL begins rainwater harvesting project in stations The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) commenced the rainwater harvesting system at metro stations. High Court judge Justice Devan Ramachandran inaugurated t h e r a i n wa t e r h a r ve s t i n g s ys t e m a t Companypadi metro station on July 3, 2020.

“The rainwater harvesting project of the KMRL will be beneficial for the public. There are many people who struggle to get freshwater and we have to prioritize water and nature conservation activities”, Said Justice Devan Ramachandran at the time of inauguration.

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AIIB is likely to fund $800 million for the 4th corridor of Chennai Metro phase-II

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is expected to finance $800 million for the 4th corridor of phase-II of Chennai Metro, the govt should add the ‘Make in India’ clause in the tender report, officials urged.

As Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (STEC) appeared as the lowest bidder for the New Ashok Nagar and Sahibabad of DelhiMeerut RRTS corridor construction having a distance of 5.6 km underground section.

According to the sources, it is just to understand the ‘Make in India’ if included in the tender report will require limitations on Chinese bidders.

According to the officials, since AIIB is a multilateral development bank, the clause would help Indian companies and in creating jobs for Indians along with adhering to Prime Minister’s call of ‘Go Vocal, make Local’.

‘Make in India’ will develop and promote Indian partners as well as Indian investors and help Indians attain self-sufficiency will be more relaxed for managing the Indian bidders, as per the sources in DPIIT. The clause should be entered while taking loans from all the multilateral development banks and in the tender report, according to official sources.

It is seen that June 23 meeting will review the Action Taken Report also pertaining “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Since Finance Minister has also declared that in govt tenders global bids will not be called up to Rs.200 cr, the meeting would mainly focus on multiple elements of Central Govt entities that should be referenced from local/domestic suppliers only such as metro companies and smart cities.

B e i j i n g - b a s e d A s i a n I n f r a s t r u c t u re Investment Bank (AIIB) has ready to implement a loan of $438.75 million to Chennai Metro project for the civil construction work of Chennai Metro’s 47 km Line-5’s 26 km segment connecting CMBT with Sholinganallur and $356.65 million to support the 26.1 km Line 4 connecting Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass.

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Nashik Metro proposal take a step ahead towards approval By taking a step ahead Nashik Metro project proposal towards its approval as the detailed project report has been forwarded to the Union ministry of finance & ministry of railways for sanction.

Sources officials involved with the project stated that the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has transferred the project DPR to the ministries concerned.

Metro-Neo project with Rs 2100 cr project, is the 1st of its kind in the country, on 2 elevated corridors rubber-tyred AC bus coaches would run with its 32 km long distance.

There will be a total 30 stations between the corridor.

The sources said by adding that it would take time for the 2 ministries to undergo the project DPR Once they check the details of the project and permit it, the proposal will be located before the Union cabinet for the final nod.

Mumbai Metro lines 2A, 7 to be delayed as COVID-19 crisis disrupts work Mumbaikars waiting for the completion of Metro lines 2A and 7 may have to wait for at least 3-4 months more than the original estimated time due to the disruption in the work owing to COVID-19 crisis.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has pushed a large number of labourers employed by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority or MMRDA back to their villages, leading to an anticipated delay of at least 3-4 months in the Metro projects beyond the current December deadline.

MMRDA is a government body responsible

For the development of the city's infrastructure, including roads, flyovers, bridges and the Metro. "We are constantly assessing and re-assessing our timelines in light of the lockdown. Initially, we thought it would be a one month delay, but we realized it would be difficult after the mass exodus of labourers," R A Rajeev, commissioner, MMRDA The delay is completely in the realm of uncertainty at present. Today there is a delay of three-four months. Metro lines 7 and 2A which were to start in December may go up to March or April next year, but this is only as of today. But if two-three months, the same situation prevails, timelines will have to be revised again," he said.

Railway Board approves Rs 527 crore for Kolkata Metro Line 6 corridor Railway Board approved Rs 527 crore for revised alignment of its 3.6km long stretch from City Centre II to Airport. The most sustained Metro corridor, i.e. New Garia to Airport of the city. The elevated Metro corridor will now run along the edge of Airport land parallel to VIP Road before it goes underground to reach the station where it will have an interface with NoaparaAirport Metro. The tender will be opened on July 30. The New Garia-Airport corridor got jinxed after the state PWD proposed a flyover on VIP Road. But, Airport Authority of India (AAI), after being urged by the state, came to the rescue of the project by offering the parcel of land from its periphery. But there was a massive cost escalation. Railway Board, after consultation with the ministry of finance, finally gave the go-ahead to the project, said a railway official.

Indian Railway

Uttar Pradesh starts utilising train coaches as isolation wards The railway ministry said that Uttar Pradesh govt started utilising train coaches as isolation wards for 59 suspected patients in Mau. Indian Railways has begun implementing care to corona patients referred for admission in COVID coaches deployed in many states. On June 20, 2020, 42 suspected patients were admitted in isolation coaches deployed at Mau Junction in Varanasi division and 17 cases were admitted on June 21, 2020.

Eight patients have already been released, as per the official statement. Indian Railways is set to offer almost 5,231 isolation coaches to the states. Zonal railways have turned these coaches as lockdown facilities.

The coaches can be utilised for quite mild cases that can be clinically indicated to the COVID care centres according to the guidelines issued through the health ministry. Train coaches have been changed into isolation wards. In which, 503 isolation coaches have been deployed in Delhi, t we nt y i n A n d h ra Pra d e s h , s i x t y i n Telangana, 372 in UP and 5 in Madhya Pradesh.

Railways cancel Chinese contract for dedicated freight corridor (DFC)

Amid the India-China faceoff at the Galwan Valley in the east of Ladakh, the Indian Railways on June 18, 2020, decided to cancel a Rs 471-crore contract given to a Chinese company for a dedicated freight corridor (DFC).

The Railways said it would cancel the signalling and telecommunication work for a 417-km stretch on the Kanpur-Deen Dayal Upadhyay section, which is part of the eastern DFC being set up by the railway PSU Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL).

The government has approached the funding agency, World Bank, seeking termination of the contract citing unsatisfactory progress. For such projects, cancellation of any deal requires a nod from

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS the multilateral agency. According to a railway official, the government might have to consider funding the project itself in the event of the World Bank deciding not to terminate the project.

The progress of the project was just 20 per cent though the contract was awarded in 2016, affecting the overall completion deadlines for the DFC. The Railways had been thinking about cancellation for almost two months now, but the flare-up at the border proved to be the catalyst.

Indian Railways cancels all regular trains till August 12

The Indian Railways has said regular timetabled passenger trains, including mail express, passenger and suburban services which were suspended by the Centre till June 30, will remain suspended till August 12.

However, special passenger trains including 200 mail express trains and 30 Rajdhani trains that have been operating from May 12 and June 1 will continue to operate.

The latest round of cancellations of trains comes in the background of a surge in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases across the country.

Govt to plan for 125-km long Rishikesh-Karnaprayag broad gauge Rail Line Indian Railways is planning a 125 km long brand new broad gauge rail line in Uttarakhand to make train journeys comfortable and convenient for the traveller. This broad gauge railway line will boost tourism, trade and connectivity between five districts of the state.

Once the Rishikesh to Karnaprayag broad gauge Rail operational, devotees will be able to easily commute to all the holy places located across the region. The rail line will also connect to the new trade centre. The 125 km long broad gauge rail line will pass through many famous places that will be c o n n e c t i n g D ev p r a ya g , S r i n a g a r, Ru d ra p raya g , G a u c h a r, K a r n p raya g , Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag and Chamoli.

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag broad gauge Rail line will have 12 new railway stations, 17 tunnels as well as 16 bridges. An amount of Rs 16,216 crore is likely to be spent on this railway line. According to the Railway Ministry, the upcoming broad gauge rail line in Uttarakhand will be completed by December 2024.

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PM Modi has approved 100% electrification of Indian Railways: Piyush Goyal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a program for 100% electrification of Indian Railways, Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal said on July 11, 2020 “PM has approved a program for 100% electrification of Indian Railways. We’ll be the largest Railways in the world to be 100% electrified with 120,000 track km across India. By 2030, we also hope to be the world’s first 100% green railways with net zero emissions,” Goyal said at the India Global Week 2020.

Earlier on Saturday, the Prime Minister delivered the inaugural address at the India Global Week 2020—a virtual conference held in the United Kingdom. The conference had the theme ‘Be the Revival: India and a Better New World’. At least 5,000 participants from 30 countries are slated to be part of the global week. It will have a total of 75 sessions to be addressed by 250 speakers from across the world.

The Railways Minister further said that India is on the path of getting back into economic action. “We’ve always shown the ability to bounce back rapidly. Historically, India has suffered many challenges, but we always had the resilience to come back into action quickly,” he said at the summit.

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Titagarh Wagons come up with cooperation agreement with ABB India Titagarh Wagons, a wagon maker for Indian Railways to a multinational diversified engineering & fabrication group, has come up with an exclusive cooperation agreement with engineering company ABB India, to direct the expanding business of propulsion equipment for the Indian railway EMU or MEMU market.

According to the agreement, Titagarh & ABB will together design, develop and manufacture state of the art IGBT based propulsion systems for EMU or MEMU that will be made in Titagarh’s plant at Uttarpara in Kolkata with some parts being supplied

by ABB. This agreement goes into effect very shortly and is required to begin generating revenue in less than 2 yrs, the company declared in a press statement. More than 300 EMU or MEMU coaches to the Indian Railways has manufactured and supplied

by Titagarh Wagons. Presently, the company is busy executing an order of 102 metro coaches for Pune Metro requisitioned through the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC).

Monorail

MMRDA cancels monorail tender Rs 500 cr in view of Indian manufactures company To w n p l a n n i n g a u t h o r i t y M u m b a i M e t ro p o l i t a n Re g i o n D eve l o p m e nt Authority (MMRDA) has cancelled the bidding for the design, manufacture, testing, supply & commissioning of ten monorail rakes received from Chinese manufacturers.

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS For sourcing 10 rakes for the Jacob CircleWadala-Chembur monorail line contract is about Rs 500 cr. The city authority intends to give the contract to an Indian manufacturer.

MMRDA said that in the current bid, responses were obtained from a couple of companies, China Rail Road Co. and Build Your Dream.

T h e s e C h i n e s e m a n u f a c t u re r s we re continuously questioning for revisions in terms and conditions with eligibility criteria, even after uploading of a common set of deviations (CSDs).

Metropolitan Commissioner RA Rajeev said in a statement that in the current economic situation due to the lockdown, in line with the many policies published by the govt of India to promote the ‘Make in India’ schemes, as the govt has been determined to look for an Indian Technology partner for long term support & development.

In view of this, govt chose to cancel the c u r re n t t e n d e r a n d c o m m e n c e t h e retendering process quickly with changed eligibility norms like for last ten years manufacturing facilities established in India on related projects to facilitate the participation of Indian companies. It has been also selected to begin the dialogue with Indian manufactures such as — BHEL, BEML, Rajeev said.

3 Indian companies show interest to make rakes for Mumbai monorail Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) cancels the bidding process for procuring monorail rakes in which two Chinese companies submit their bids. The MMRDA in talks with three Indian companies for producing the rakes for Mumbai monorail.

The MMRDA wants Make-in-India coaches for monorail because of “Aatmanirbharta’ or ‘self-reliance’ call by PM Narendra Modi.

“We are in talks with Indian manufacturers like Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Titagarh. The latter has also been positive on manufacturing the rolling stock which is quite a breakthrough.” said a senior official from MMRDA Bengaluru-based BEML is already manufacturing metro rakes for Metro 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-7 (Dahisar EAndheri E).

Ropeway

Uttarakhand Metro project got approval for extensive Mobility Plan The extensive Mobility Plan of the Uttarakhand Metro project got approval from Uttarakhand govt, by making the system for ropeway projects in Dehradun, Rishikesh along with Haridwar to facilitate commuters. On June 11, 2020, in a meeting of t h e U n i f i e d M e t ro p o l i t a n Tr a n s p o r t Authority, CM Trivendra Singh Rawat permitted for the metro project. As per the officials, a DPR for the ropeway system is being made with the Delhi Metro Rail Co for Dehradun city.

Along with this the state govt also approved the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) project for the construction in Haridwar city with the construction work of Metro Light in Haridwar to Rishikesh and Nepali Farm to Vidhan Sabha Corridor. Uttarakhand Metro Rail MD, Jitendra Tyagi gave a comprehensive presentation on Dehradun, Haridwar & Rishikesh MetroLite System in which he also shared a report about the route plan study for the metro project from HaridwarRishikesh, Dehradun-Nepali Farm.

There are two routes that have been submitted for Dehradun city, one from Forest Research Institute – Rispana Bridge by Clock Tower and the 2nd one from ISBT – Madhuban Hotel by Clock Tower.

The capacity of ropeway will have to carry around ten passengers. The projects will reach around 20-25 km and supposed to cost up to Rs 2200 cr.

At a time when the chorus for boycotting Chinese products is growing due to IndiaChina border tension, a Chinese firm became the lowest bidder for constructing tunnel on Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS). Chinese firm Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company Ltd (STEC) was the lowest bidder for constructing a 5.6-km tunnel between New Ashok NagarSahibabad on the 82-km Delhi-Meerut RRTS project.

However, the Union Ministry of Urban Development has clarified that the process of awarding the tender is still in process and has not been finalised The Urban Development Ministry said that the 82-km long Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) being undertaken by the N a t i o n a l C a p i t a l Re g i o n Tr a n s p o r t Corporation (NCRTC) is an ADB funded project for design and construction of 5.6 km tunnel through TBM & 1 RRTS station.

It said that bids were invited on November 9 last year and the technical bid was opened on March 16 this year. The ministry further said that five companies submitted bids and qualified for financial bid opening including SKEC (Korea) and Tata, STEC, China, L&T, Afcons and Gulermakgir, Turkey. on June 12 financial bids were opened and STEC, China emerged as lowest bidder.

"The tender is under process and yet to be finalised," it said, adding that the project is funded under Asian Development Bank (ADB)/World Bank/Multilateral procurement guidelines do not allow discrimination among firms/countries.

High-Speed Train/Semi High-Speed Train

RRTS Govt to bring high-speed train between Hyderabad and Vijayawada: KTR

Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail project: Tender for 5.6 km tunnel to Chinese firm still in process

The Telangana government will begin efforts to bring a high-speed train between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, industries minister KT Rama Rao said. The high-speed train is realised it would immensely benefit both the states, especially towns abutting the national highways said the minister, who participated in various developmental works and Haritha Haram programme in Huzurnagar assembly constituency in Suryapet and Nalgonda districts.

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS The minister is interested in getting highspeed trains connecting Hyderabad with Vijayawada Last year, and he had expressed annoyance when the Centre did not include Hyderabad in 10 new high-speed train corridors and tweeted to the Piyush Goyal, railway minister how did the Centre neglect Hyderabad (the fifth largest city in the country) in the High-speed train corridor.

The AP government had also shown interest in a high-speed train route between Hyderabad and Vijayawada.

Rail connectivity among Pune-Nasik.

Rail network has to go via complicated route

by Lonavala, Karjat, Panvel, Diva, Kalyan, Igatpuri till Nasik. This rail project will be the world’s 1st semi high-speed corridor over the broad gauge, Maharail declared.

MRIDC/MahaRail will be completing the semi-high-speed double line project that will reduce the travel time aims to bring the travel time from Pune-Nashik for almost a couple of hours. This semi-high speed corridor including double railway broad gauge lines from Pune to Nasik will allow the trains to operate at a speed of up to 250 km/h in the future. As Pune and Nasik both are equally fastest rising cities of Maharashtra and together constituting 18 per cent of the population of the state & contributing 19% Gross Value Added to the state.

News Around the world

Pune-Nashik semi high-speed rail got a go-ahead signal On June 2, 2020, The Pune-Nashik rail line project was given the go-ahead, and ready to connect two essential powerhouses of I n d i a’s m o s t v i b r a n t . T h e s t a t e - r u n Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Co Ltd (MRIDC) completed the DPR for the high-speed rail in Feb and posted for Railway Board & Maharashtra govt permission. According to the diagram, above rail network shows, there is no direct

Siemens Mobility to deliver C2 metro trains to SVM

Siemens Mobility has received a contract from Germany-based public service provider Stadtwerke München (SWM) for the delivery of 22 six-car metro trains.

This contract is the final extension of a previous contract for the delivery of C2 metro trains. Siemens was awarded a contract in 2010 to deliver 21 C2 metro trains for the underground subway between 2013 and 2015. The contract included options to procure an additional 46 trains for München U-Bahn through firm orders between 2016 and 2020. After the delivery of the trains, Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) will have 67 C2 trains in its fleet. The new C2 trains feature video cameras, passenger TV and interior lighting with LEDs that offer additional comfort and convenience. The redesign of the passenger compartment, along with the new seating concept with wider doors, has led to a higher passengercarrying capacity. Siemens noted that the C2 trains can accommodate 940 passengers. They also do not have separate cars and are ‘completely open from front to back’. The environmentally friendly trains are energy-saving and made of materials that are 97% recyclable. They are manufactured by Siemens Mobility in Vienna while its Graz facility provided their bogies. The new trains will begin service in 2022 and run on the U3 and U6 metro lines.

Think Green- Go Green

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COVER STORY

Privatisation of Railways

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n July 1, 2020, the Ministry of Railways has taken the first step towards privatisation of railways by inviting Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to private players for the operation of passenger train services. The project will bring private sector investment of about Rs. 30,000 crore. This decision has rejuvenated the older debate on rich-poor divide on the one hand and increasing efficiency of railways on other, in this article we will assess both the scenario.

Debate on the privatisation of railways is not new, several committees in the past have also recommended it with recent one "Bibek Debroy committee" gave the recommendation The whole idea behind this move is to kill the several birds with one arrow; private players bring competition in existing machinery along with employment generation and extra revenue to government from bidding also manufacturing of new coaches in India give traction to pm's flagship scheme make in India. One hundred fifty-one modern trains in addition of existing ones on 109 routes where demand is excessively high, these modern trains require less maintenance cost after every 40,000 km or once or twice in 30 days while honourable existing trains require maintenance after 4000 kms run. Also, Trains would run faster and would be safer and provide more facilities as we have seen in TEJAS EXPRESS India's first privately run train.

Privatisation Project: Under this at least 151 modern trains will be introduced and 109 pairs of routes will be planned out for private train operations. 타 Train sets have to be brought by private operators and maintained by them. 타 Fares in private trains will be competitive and prices on other modes of transport like airlines, buses have to be kept in mind while fixing the fares 타 Private participation in passenger train operations will only be 타

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COVER STORY Ÿ of the total operations of Railways. 95% of trains will still be run

by Indian Railways. Ÿ The project will bring private sector investment of about Rs. 30,000 crore.

Reason Behind Privatisation: To develop India’s railway infrastructure to provide travel services to all its passengers. Ÿ According to the 2019-20 data, the Railways ferried 8.4 billion (840 crore) passengers in 2019-20, about five crore passengers could not be accommodated, meaning their wait-listed tickets were dropped. Ÿ During the busy seasons/summer season nearly 13.3% passengers were not able to get confirmed reservations. Ÿ Induction of modern technology and reduction in transit time and the demand-supply deficit in train tickets. Ÿ

Benefits: Ÿ Confirmed tickets and faster trains for passengers. Ÿ Trains would run faster and would be safer and provide more facilities. Ÿ Reduction in maintenance cost of train coaches. Ÿ The train coaches now required maintenance after they ran 4,000 km, but modern coaches would need maintenance after every 40,000 km or once or twice in 30 days. Ÿ Reduction in railways loss. Currently, the railways makes losses in passenger services. Ÿ Provide revenue to railways for future operations. Ÿ The private entity will pay the Railways fixed haulage charges, energy charges as per actual consumption and a share in gross revenue determined through the bidding process. Ÿ RFQ had been issued under the Make in India policy. So the coaches would have to be manufactured in India. Ÿ This will create jobs and utilization of local components in manufacturing.

Issues Involved: There is fear that it will lead to increase in fair prices of rail travel and job losses.

It will harm the interest of marginalized communities (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes), who get reservation under the government jobs.

Currently there is no reservation in private sector employment.

Way Forward Privatisation of railways operations will require a new institutional framework where infrastructure will remain as a government's monopoly while there would be a market of service providers. Ÿ Core Railways functions can be Corporatizied rather than privatized. Ÿ Corporatization refers to the restructuring or transformation of a state-owned asset or organization into a corporation. These organizations typically have a board of directors, management, and shareholders. Ÿ However, unlike publicly traded companies, the government is the company's only shareholder, and the shares in the company are not publicly traded. Ÿ It is important to modernize the railways, so measures must be taken to reimburse the social costs speedily so that resources of the railways are better allocated and facilities are upgraded from time to time. Ÿ

Grey areas The biggest fear of people about Privatisation is increasing the divide between rich and poor class with luxurious private trains for well offs and government trains for the poor. Also, some

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apprehensions like Privatisation would create a private monopoly which might seek to set higher prices which exploit consumers.

Therefore it is better to have a public monopoly rather than a private monopoly which can exploit the consumer.

Apart from that safety concern amid the fragmentation of industries. For example, in U.K The Hatfield rail crash was blamed on no one taking responsibility for safety. Different rail companies have increased the complexity of rail tickets. These are some of the grey areas which make this decision cloudy; however, a detailed standard operating procedure with the clear cut demarcation of roles and responsibilities of various agencies is required from ministry.

What need to do There should be an efficient grievance redressal mechanism for citizens, Privatisation of non-core functions of railways such as hospital, schools etc. as recommended by Bibek Debroy committee. Scrutiny of government's decision by a third party is also required and positive attitude towards this decision and exploring all the aspects to suggest reform for any loopholes, as India is Forwarding towards 75 years of its independence.

We should hope for a Better, New, Innovative and Energetic India and making the dream of our freedom fighters of reconverting India into a golden bird into reality.

ARTICLE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Nearly 90% of our domestic project sites are now working, says L&T CEO Subrahmanyan

I

n March you said that FY’20 was a tough year. Do you want to restate that and make FY’21 as a tougher year?

In India, we have a backlog of ₹3.3 lakh crore worth of projects, which is one of the largest. Fiscal 2019-20 was a tough year but even then we grew orders by 9 per cent, sales by 8 per cent and profits by 7 per cent. Sales could have gone up by 15 per cent but we lost around ₹6,000 – ₹7,000 crore due to a combination of factors, which is the reason I said we had a tough year.

Currently, 20 per cent projects is from the private sector. Out of the remaining 80 per cent, which comprises of Central, State and public sector enterprises, around 35 per cent are multilaterally funded from ADB, World Bank and the likes. About ₹45,00050,000 crore worth of projects are likely to go on and I don’t see any negative bearing. Work in sectors such as airports, steel will go on. There could be some small delays or prioritisation of work. In India, ₹15 trillion were earmarked for capital expenditure by the government to be spent by the State, Centre and PSEs. In my opinion, that number will come down by ₹4 trillion.

So the number of projects that will come for bid will be lower. In

the Middle East, we have a double whammy of sorts. The crashing oil prices and pandemic. However, except for Oman, all In the North and East of Africa, we expect $600 million in turnover.

In India, 90 per cent of our 950 domestic project sites are working.

We had around 230,000 labourers before the pandemic. Now we have around 120,000 labourers in the sites and we will work on getting them back. In another 35 days we will come back to normalcy.

However, productivity has been low. Regarding the economy, it will be recovery over time. Also, I don't see any recovery in private sector spending for the next year or so.

The services business is growing faster than other L&T businesses. Do you see services accounting for a higher share in the overall revenue share going forward?

In our mix, we have EPC, contributing to 75 per cent of revenues, defence and manufacturing contributes around 10 per cent and services about 15 per cent.

Our estimation is that services can grow to 17-18 per cent in this fiscal. This is because they have adapted better to Work from Home (WFH). So, services will bounce back faster.

In the context of WFH being the new norm, how do you see workforce deployment for L&T offices going forward?

Business too we were able to shift work outside of offices in terms of engineering, design, and even the procurement process has embraced technology.

But in construction, we still need to have people on site. This part of the business got affected.

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ARTICLE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW How difficult will it be to bring migrant workers back to your sites?

Pre Covid we had 220,000 labourers. During Covid we took care of the labour force at our sites. However, family pressures forced workers to go to their native places. People got scared. Labour moved from West and South to the East. In our case, many of the labourers have been working for generations and there is a lot of goodwill as a result of which workers will come back. We have also taken the help of technology. We have an app called Virtual Service Application or VISA through which we stay connected with workers. So, for example, we have a database of carpenters in the system and we can tap into this depending on the work and location.

Even in normal times, we mobilise the labour workforce 3-4 times in a year. For example, during all festivals there is a movement of labour. Some of them do not come back so we have been constantly moving labour. Maybe this time we will have to make some extra payments to bring them back. The pandemic has also added a psychological element to the migration.

When will you start giving guidance on revenues?

We can give guidance right now but you will wonder on what basis am I giving the guidance because we are still in the middle of the pandemic. So giving guidance has no meaning right now. That’s why we have been cautious.

Are you looking at restructuring the business and the organization to adapt to the new challenges?

So these last couple of months we have had time to think and we have had a look at our systems, our processes and businesses.

Some of the businesses are not doing well so how to deal with that, how to deploy staff in a more efficient manner. Huge decisions have been taken in many of these aspects which will stand us in good stead. Some of this we will announce as we go forward, other aspects are internal to the company. We will become leaner and meaner.

You had talked about a debt reduction plan by selling stake in L&T Infrastructure Development Projects (IDPL) and Nabha Power, and transferring stake in Hyderabad Metro, this year. Is this on course?

Our standalone debt is hardly ₹9000-10,000 crore. This is far below what an organization like us can have. But we want to come out of all these projects and we are doing all we can on that front.

You said capital expenditure by the government will come down by 4 trillion. Do you think this will impact high profile projects like the bullet train?

We require these high profile projects. Countries like the US and China have had huge infra projects. India needs to develop transportation.

But doing such projects needs money and we may not have the money right now. Whether the multinational agencies will come in or will the Government find another way I don't have an asnwer L&T has been flagging concerns over the lack of adequate orders from the Government in the Defence segment. Do you see this changing soon?

We have two very hostile armed neighbouring countries. We have to protect ourselves. So the Government needs to collaborate with the private sector to ensure we have world class systems in place. The problem is this need for tendering process to pick the vendor. For example, L&T is the only company in the country to build submarines.

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In a country that needs just 5 submarines for 20 years, we cannot have 3 parties vying for it because the costs do not justify it. You don’t have 5 companies bidding for AWACS, for instance. The point here is that they should decide L&T as the partner and go ahead with it. Pricing and costs can be discovered. Of course, encouragement is coming through Make in India otherwise we won’t have been the largest private sector defence player in the country.

But here too, Government nominating public sector companies is an inefficient process. Lastly, the Government has allowed 74 per cent FDI in defence but in my view, not many foreign players want to come into India with just 74 per cent control. Therefore, the Government should encourage existing private sector companies by giving us sufficient orders.

What’s your take on Vocal for local campaign?

I think the Government is doing as much as they can. Now it is up to the entrepreneurs to make avail of these schemes and unleash their animal spirits. The environment has been created now it is up to the entrepreneurs and companies like us to see how best we can utilise these schemes.

Do you envision merger of Mindtree with L&T Infotech?

LTI and Mindtree have different focus areas and expertise. They have different strengths. There are no plans to merge the two as of now but it is inevitable at some point we will think about merging them.

ARTICLE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

In conversation with Dr. Mangu Singh, MD, DMRC on the biggest challenge in Pandemic time

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he Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), India’s most extensive metro network in India with a daily ridership of 60 lakh, has been shut since March 22, 2020, due to countrywide lockdown. As the country is opening in a phased manner now, there is still no clarity on when the DMRC will be permitted to resume the services. In a conversation with Dr. mangu Singh, Managing Director, DMRC, He Talks about How the pandemic will hit the organisation and biggest challenge so far.

Here are the edited excerpts: What is the current status of metro operations in Delhi?

Dr. Mangu Singh: Passengers trains have been completely stopped. We run two trains every day but only to check if every system is working. The government has not given any permission to start operations. So we don’t have clarity.

There have been news stories of the DMRC working on some standard operating procedures (SOP). What are those for?

Dr. Mangu Singh: We prepared an SOP right after Lockdown 2 was announced. We were getting ready in the hope of getting a goahead from the government. They wanted to have SOPs for all metros in place. Since the Delhi Metro is the largest metro operator in the country, we prepared an SOP after consulting and a lot of discussions with other metro organisations. That does not mean we are getting ready to resume operation.

The SOP requirements are very demanding. So we quickly got into action to make those arrangements. From drills to equipment, we started preparing and getting things in place. The exercise will be useful when we begin operations.

Like in India, are metros in other parts of the world also shut, or they are operational?

Dr. Mangu Singh: To my information, many metros across the world remain to run, Although the traffic is very low. Most European and American metros are running. In China, they suspended operations for some time but have restarted operations now. Singapore, too, restarted metro service but with a lot of stringent guidelines.

The level of traffic is very high in India. Our metros are very crowded. The risks involved in restarting operations are much higher. Today, in NCR, there are 2.5 crore smart cards in circulation.

Unlike say airlines or trains, the moment you start metro services, you can’t have a restriction on the number of people using the service.

How hard has the lockdown been for the DMRC? Let me first state some positive things we have done during the period.

Dr. Mangu Singh: We realised we have 13,000-plus people and no physical work. So we decided to do some productive work. We innovated on working virtually. It was not in our culture. Right from project site coordination to inspection, most works was done physically — we immediately switched to working online in a big way. From e-filing systems to design coordination, everything is happening virtually. A person sitting in the UK is now giving us inputs on design. This initiative is working very well. Today, we are a paperless organisation. The second thing we worked toward improving the knowledge of our people. More than 1,000 employees have enrolled in online courses. Improving their skills and capabilities brought in a lot of positivity in these times while negativity is high. I also created a group to rethink the last five years and identify some of the big projects we have done and discuss what could have been done differently. We are gathering these inputs into case studies. These will be very valuable in future.

What are the DMRC’s biggest challenges in these times?

Dr. Mangu Singh: We are not making a single paisa. There is no earning. We have been hit in other areas too. We have high fixed costs. Variable costs are small. The energy bill is 30% of it. But even there, we can do little to save as we still have to run all systems and do all operational drills.Our tenants’ businesses, too, have been affected badly. They have written to us asking us to defer rental payments. We are looking at government guidelines on this. If we take coercive action against these tenants, some of them might be forced to go away. We need to support them at this hour. The pandemic has still not settled down. So we are yet to take a call on these things. We don’t have a revenue-share model with our tenants.

How are you dealing with the loss of revenue streams?

Dr. Mangu Singh: We have some resources but not enough to tide over the situation. The biggest area of concern is repaying the loan given by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for construction work. We are requesting the government to reschedule the loan repayment and defer this year’s payment to next year.

What is the update on the construction activities that were underway? Dr. Mangu Singh: The DMRC is currently engaged in building 61.67 km of new lines under Phase-4 of expansion plans.

The corridors that are being constructed are Janakpuri West-RK Ashram, Tughlakabad-Aerocity and Maujpur-Majlis Park. Also, the DMRC is engaged in the construction of two more corridors in Delhi-Najafgarh-Dhansa Bus Stand, Dwarka Sector 21-ECC Centre. Construction work has been hit badly. When the lockdown started, we followed the government directive about not retrenching workers. Our contractors took care of the labourers.

But now they have all gone back to their hometowns. Our contractors are quite handicapped. This will affect our projects, and there will be delays. I have a feeling labourers will start coming back around September-October.

The pandemic scare might force people to use private transport. How do you see public transportation evolving in the face of this? Dr. Mangu Singh: For the time being, there is fear in the minds of people. It will affect public transport. It will also mean more use of private vehicles as people will avoid the use of public transport Therefore, we will attempt to follow social distancing guidelines and instil confidence in people that metro is a safe mode of transport. It is a big challenge.

(The article First appeared on The Economic Times and authored Malini Goyal)

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ARTICLE APPOINMNET

Wallace Weatherill MD for Dubai Metro

Wallace Weatherill is the new MD for Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram

Central Govt issued an order to make Kamran Rizvi, Chairman of Patna Metro Rail Corporation

K

amran Rizvi, IAS batch 1991, has elected as a Chairman of Patna Metro Rail Corporation by Central Government. Mr Rizvi is an IAS officer of UP cadre and now he is posted as Additional Secretary in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

After his appointment, now the construction of Patna Metro project will get speed further. As without a Chairman many important decisions were not possible to take.

The SPV constituted for the Metro project consists of 5 directors each at the centre & the state.

Earlier the Center had appointed Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs Shivdas Meena as chairman of Patna Metro. But due to some reasons he was transferred to the post of chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board.

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erco Middle East has published its new Managing Director appointment of Wallace Weatherill, for the Dubai Metro & the Dubai Tram, operations, that the company operates and manages on behalf of Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA).

According to the Serco’s announcement, Weatherill has worked in the Middle East rail industry for almost 6 years, commencing with mobilising the North-South high-speed commuter railway in Saudi Arabia. Wallace re-joins Serco, having earlier worked as the director for rail in Saudi Arabia.

In the UK, Weatherill has managed passenger railway businesses, like Southeastern, London Commuter Railway & London Midland and also leads with him infrastructure management experience obtained with the UK infrastructure operator Network Rail of 19992006. My concept is to make on the success that has already been achieved through the RTA and Serco on the progress of the iconic RTA rail transit systems in Dubai, said Weatherill.

It declared in the statement from Serco, with almost twenty years of experience in the critical rail systems operations in the UK and the Middle East, Wallace leads with him the knowledge and expertise needed to successfully maintain the award-winning Dubai Metro services both Serco & the RTA are recognised for.

PROJECT OF THE MONTH ARTICLE

Ahmedabad Metro

Phase 1 (Project Cost: INR 10773.00 Crore) Line 1 (East-West Corridor): Vastral Gam – Thaltej Gam Ÿ Total length: 21.16 km Ÿ No. of Stations: 17 Ÿ Operational Stations: Vastral Gam, Nirant Cross Road, Vastral, Rabari Colony, Amraiwadi, Apparel Park. Ÿ Under Construction Stations: Kankaria East, Kalupur Railway Station, Ghee Kanta, Shahpur, Old High Court, Stadium, Commerce Six Road, Gujarat University, Gurukul Road, Doordarshan Kendra, Thaltej Gam. Line 2 (North-South Corridor): Motera Stadium – APMC Total length: 18.87 km No. of Stations: 15 Proposed Stations: Motera Stadium, Sabarmati, AEC, Sabarmati Railway Station, Ranip, Vadaj, Vijaynagar, Usmanpura, Old High Court, Gandhigram, Paldi, Shreyas, Rajivnagar, Jivraj Park, APMC. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Ahmedabad Metro is a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) being built by Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) Limited, formerly known as ‘Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad’ (MEGA), to serve Ahmedabad – Gujarat’s biggest city and its capital, Gandhinagar, in the future. Construction work on Ahmedabad Metro’s Phase 1 with routes of 39.259 km started in 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2024.In February 2016, the Gujarat state government allocated a sum of Rs 2 crore in its 2016-17 state budget. It appointed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to prepare Phase 2’s Detailed Project Report (DPR). As per the draft DPR, the 18.522 km Line-2 is planned to be extended northward to connect Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar and will feature one branch/spur lines to GIFT City.

In February 2019, India’s Union Cabinet approved the construction of a 28.254 km Phase 2 with 2 corridors – a northward extension of Line-2 with a short spur. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone on March 4, 2019.

System details Top Speed: 80 kmph Average Speed: 33 kmph Track Gauge: Standard Gauge – 1435 mm Electrification: 750 V DC Third Rail Signalling: Communication-based Train Control (CBTC) Rolling Stock: 96 coaches (32 train-sets x 3) supplied by BEML Daily Ridership: 35,000/day (February 2020)

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Network Operational: 6 km | Under Construction: 33.26 km | Approved: 28.254 km (Phase 2)

Phase II (Project Cost: INR 5,384.17 Crore) Line 2 Extension: Motera Stadium to Mahatma Mandir – 22.84 km Ÿ Total length: 22.84 km Ÿ No. of Stations: 20 Ÿ Proposed Stations: (Motera Stadium), Koteshwar Road, Vishwakarma College, Tapovan Circle, Narmada Canal, Koba Circle, Juna Koba, Koba Gam, GNLU, Raysan, Randesan, Dholakuva Circle, Infocity, Sector 1, Sector 10A, Sachivalaya, Akshardham, Juna Sachivalaya, Sector 16, Sector 24, Mahatma Mandir.

Line 2 Extension: GNLU to GIFT City Total length: 5.416 km No. of Stations: 2 Proposed Stations: PDPU, GIFT City Construction work first started on the 6 km Apparel Park to Vastral Gam section of the Blue Line in 2015, which opened to the public on March 6, 2019. MEGA completed inviting construction bids for all other pending sections in July 2016 and awarded the final civil contract in February 2017. These under construction sections are expected to open one after the other between 2020-2023.

Ahmedabad Metro Fares For the 6 km operational line (Apparel Park – Vastral Gam), a ride on the first 2.5 km costs Rs. 5 and after that the fare is Rs. 10. End to end rides on the entire line (Thaltej Gam – Vastral Gam) are planned to cost Rs. 25.

Major Contract Awarded Systra-RITES-Oriental-AECOM JV: General Consultancy Ÿ Hyundai Rotem: Supply of 96 Rolling Stock coaches (32 train sets). Ÿ Nippon Signal Co. Ltd, Japan: Supply of Signalling System Ÿ URC Construction: Construction of Apparel Park depot Ÿ Gannon Dunkerly-PSPO JV: Construction of Gyaspur depot Ÿ J Kumar Infraprojects: Construction of 6 km viaduct between Vastral Gam-Apparel Park Ÿ DRA-CICO JV: Construction of 6 stations between Vastral Gam-Apparel Park Ÿ Afcons Infrastructure: Construction of 2.45 km Tunnels & 2 Stations between East Ramp-Kalupur Ÿ Larsen & Toubro: Construction of 4.38 km Tunnels & 2 Stations between Kalupur-West Ramp Ÿ Tata Projects-CRCC JV: Construction of 8.21 km viaduct and 7 stations between Thaltej Gam-West Ramp Ÿ Simplex Infrastructure: Construction of 8.94 km viaduct and 6 stations between Shreyas-Ranip Ÿ Ranjit Buildcon: Construction of 4.85 km viaduct between Motera-Ranip Ÿ Pratibha-Ranjit JV: Construction of 5 stations between Motera-Ranip Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

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PROJECT OF THE MONTH ARTICLE Tata–CCECC JV: Construction of 8.21 km Viaduct, Sabarmati Bridge & 7 stations between Thaltej Gam-West Ramp Ÿ Siemens India-Siemens AG JV: Electrification

Surat Metro

Electrification: 750 V DC Third Rail Signalling: Communications-based Train Control (CBTC) Estimated Cost: Rs. 12,020.32 crore Estimated Daily Ridership: 2.20 lakh/day (2027) Corridor 1 (Red Line): Sarthana to Dream City Ÿ Route Length: 21.61 km Ÿ Stations: 20 Stations (Elevated (15.14 km, 14 Stations), Underground (6.47 km, 6 Stations) Ÿ Station Names: Sarthana, Nature Park, Varachha Chopati, Kapodra Patiya, Laabheshwar Chowk, Central Warehouse, Surat, Maskati Hospital, Chowk Bazar, Majura Gate, Rupali Canal, Althan Tenament, Althan Gam, VIP Road, Women ITI, Bhimrad, Convention Center, Dream City. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Corridor 2 (Green Line): Besan to Saroli Route Length: 18.74 km Stations: 18 Stations (All elevated) Station Names: Bhesan Gam, Botanical Garden, Palanpur Road, L.P. Savani School, Adajan Gam, Badrinarayan Temple, Athwa Chopati, Majura Gate, Udhna Darwaja, Anjana Farm, Model Town, Magob, Bharat Cancer Hospital, Saroli. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Surat Metro with 2 lines and 36 stations is an approved rail-based mass rapid transit system to be operated in Surat City, Gujarat, India by the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC).The Gujarat state government approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Surat Metro Phase 1 project with a network length of 40.35 km in January 2017 and by the Central Government’s cabinet in March 2019. The project will be financed mainly through equity from Government of India and Government of Gujarat on 50:50 basis and loans from AFD (€250 million) and KfW (undisclosed) with whom GMRC has been in talks with since 2018. Construction work is expected to commence in January 2021.

Network Operational: 0 km | Under Construction: 0 km | Approved: 40.35 km

Contract Awarded Delhi Metro Rail Corporation: DPR Consultant Systra MVA Consulting: Detailed design consultancy for Corridor-1 from Dream city to Majuragate Elevated Viaduct and Nine Elevated Metro-Rail Stations including Depot at Dream city. Ÿ Ÿ

Fares Surat Metro’s fare structure, prices and rules have not been announced yet. That will be finalized closer to the start of commercial operations. GMRC plans to use the latest technologies for its automatic fare collection (AFC) system to allow QR codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) phones to utilize the system.

Dholera Metro

Dholera Metro is a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) build to serve the city operated by Gujrat Metro Rail Co (GMRCL).

The funding pattern is divided in such a way, the Government of Gujarat funded 20%, Government of India Funded 20% and rest 60% loan was funded by Foreign Institutions.

System Details Top Speed: 80 kmph Average Speed: 34 kmph Track Gauge: Standard Gauge – 1435 mm

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Route of Phase-I Total distance – 61.55 km Route 1 – From Vasna/APMC to Akshardham by Ashram Road to Motera and Koba Circle Route 2 – From Ahmedabad Junction to Thaltej by Delhi Darwaja Route of Phase-II Total distance – 38.45 km Route 3 – From Koba Circle to Gandhinagar Route 4 – From Koba Circle to Dholera Airport

FEATURED PROJECT ARTICLE

BULLET TRAIN (HIGH-SPEED RAIL) PROJECTS IN INDIA

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s of now, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is the only sanctioned High-Speed Rail Project, which is under execution with technical and financial assistance from the Government of Japan.

Further, the Ministry of Railways has decided to undertake the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the following six High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridors: 1. Delhi -Varanasi 2. Delhi – Ahmedabad 3. Mumbai– Nagpur 4. Mumbai – Hyderabad 5. Chennai – Mysore 6. Delhi –Amritsar.

The alignment for these corridors has yet not been finalized, as the DPR study is in progress.

district & 109.06 kms in Palghar district), 4.3 kms in the union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 348.04 kms in the state of Gujarat.

High-speed rail will cover total 12 stations namely Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, (in Maharashtra), Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati (in Gujarat). Where a limited-stop (in Surat & Vadodara) service will cover this distance in 1 hr. and 58 mins and all stops service will take 2 hr. 57 min to cover this distance.

High-speed rail will be operating at a speed of 320 Km/hr at an elevated (10 to 15 m) track above the ground on a viaduct all along except 26 kms in Mumbai, which will be underground.

All stations will be elevated except Bandra Kurla Complex station (Mumbai), which will be underground.

A brief note on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor It is the first High-Speed Rail corridor to be implemented in the country, with the technical and financial assistance of Government of Japan, has been identified from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. Ÿ With a total of twelve stations in the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the corridor will have a length of 508.17 Km. Ÿ The high-speed rail will cover 155.76 kms in the state of Maharashtra (7.04 Kms in Mumbai sub-urban, 39.66 kms in Thane Ÿ

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ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED

Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC)

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s a railway signaling system that makes use of the telecommunications between the train and track equipment for the traffic management and infrastructure control. By means of the CBTC systems, the exact position of a train is known more accurately than with the traditional signaling systems. This results in a more efficient and safe way to manage the railway traffic. Metros (and other railway systems) are able to improve headways while maintaining or even improving safety.

A CBTC system is a “continuous, automatic train control system utilizing high-resolution train location determination, independent of track circuits; continuous, high-capacity, bidirectional train-to-wayside data communications; and trainborne and wayside processors capable of implementing Automatic Train Protection (ATP) functions, as well as optional Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) functions.”, as defined in theIEEE 1474 standard.

City and population growth increases the need for mass transit transport and signalling systems need to evolve and adapt to safely meet this increase in demand and traffic capacity. As a result of this operators are now focused on maximising train line capacity. The main objective of CBTC is to increase capacity by safely reducing the time interval (headway) between trains travelling along the line.

Traditional legacy signalling systems are historically based in the detection of the trains in discrete sections of the track called ‘blocks’. Each block is protected by signals that prevent a train entering an occupied block. Since every block is fixed by the infrastructure, these systems are referred to as fixed block systems.

Unlike the traditional fixed block systems, in the modern moving block CBTC systems the protected section for each train is not statically defined by the infrastructure (except for the virtual block technology, with operating appearance of a moving block but still constrained by physical blocks). Besides, the trains themselves are continuously communicating their exact position to the equipment in the track by means of a bi-directional link, either inductive loop or radio communication.

This technology, operating in the 30–60 kHz frequency range to communicate trains and wayside equipment, was widely adopted by the metro operators in spite of someelectromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues, as well as other installation and maintenance concerns.

As with new application of any technology, some problems arose at the beginning mainly due to compatibility and interoperability aspects. However, there have been relevant improvements since then, and currently the reliability of the radio-based communication systems has grown significantly. Moreover, it is important to highlight that not all the systems using radio communication technology are considered to be CBTC systems.

So, for clarity and to keep in line with the state-of-the-art solutions for operator’s requirements, this article only covers the latest moving block principle based (either true moving block or virtual block, so not dependent on track-based detection of the trains) CBTC solutions that make use of the radio communications.

Main features CBTC and moving block CBTC systems are modern railway signaling systems that can mainly be used in urban railway lines (either light or heavy) and APMs, although it could also be deployed oncommuter lines. For

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Main lines, a similar system might be the European Railway Traffic Management System ERTMS Level 3 (not yet fully defined). In the modern CBTC systems the trains continuously calculate and communicate their status via radio to the wayside equipment distributed along the line. This status includes, among other parameters, the exact position, speed, travel direction and braking distance. This information allows calculation of the area potentially occupied by the train on the track. It also enables the wayside equipment to define the points on the line that must never be passed by the other trains on the same track. These points are communicated to make the trains automatically and continuously adjust their speed while maintaining the safety and comfort (jerk) requirements. So, the trains continuously receive information regarding the distance to the preceding train and are then able to adjust their safety distance accordingly.

fixed block

moving block From the signalling system perspective, the first figure shows the total occupancy of the leading train by including the whole blocks which the train is located on. This is due to the fact that it is impossible for the system to know exactly where the train actually is within these blocks. Therefore, the fixed block system only allows the following train to move up to the last unoccupied block’s border. In a moving block system as shown in the second figure, the train position and its braking curve is continuously calculated by the trains, and then communicated via radio to the wayside equipment. Thus, the wayside equipment is able to establish protected areas, each one called Limit of Movement Authority (LMA), up to the nearest obstacle (in the figure the tail of the train in front).

It is important to mention that the occupancy calculated in these systems must include a safety margin for location uncertainty (in yellow in the figure) added to the length of the train. Both of them form what is usually called ‘Footprint’. This safety margin depends on the accuracy of the odometry system in the train. CBTC systems based on moving block allows the reduction of the safety distance between two consecutive trains. This distance is varying according to the continuous updates of the train location and speed, maintaining the safety requirements. This results in a reduced headway between consecutive trains and an increased transport capacity.

Levels of automation Modern CBTC systems allow different levels of automation or Grades of Automation, GoA, as defined and classified in the IEC 62290-1. In fact, CBTC is not a synonym for “driverless” or “automated trains” although it is considered as a basic technology for this purpose.

The grades of automation available range from a manual protected operation, GoA 1 (usually applied as a fallback operation mode) to the fully automated operation, GoA 4 (Unattended Train Operation, UTO). Intermediate operation modes comprise semiautomated GoA 2 (Semi-automated Operation Mode, STO) or driverless GoA 3 (Driverless Train Operation, DTO). The latter operates without a driver in the cabin, but requires an attendant to face degraded modes of operation as well as guide the passengers in the case of emergencies. The higher the GoA, the higher the safety, functionality and performance levels must be.

ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED Main advantages of the Communications-Based Train Control System: a. Optimized train speeds to gain best line capacity, reduced costs and provide best passenger comfort; b. Guaranteed short term of system delivery and launching; c. Putting in operation from day one; d. Automated operations and easy maintenance; e. Driverless system (or upgradable to driverless) to reduce operating costs; f. Power saving; g. Easy maintenance; h. Easy expansion; i. Easy integration; j. Best immunity against interference; k. Obsolescence-proof; l. 100% safe; m. Minimum trackside equipment.

Innovative solution simplifies the complex route setting and interlocking functions, completely merging them into CBTC. a. Optimum train-centric architecture, with more on-board intelligence and direct train-to-train communication, leading to 20% less equipment and better performances; b. Higher transport capacity with minimal headway (down to 60 seconds); c. Higher operational availability (24 hours) with extreme flexibility of train movements; d. Optimal investment and LCC for all types of line configuration. e. CBTC can be easily integrated with all automation systems for railway transport.

Architecture

Train to wayside communication subsystem, currently based on radio links. Thus, although a CBTC architecture is always depending on the supplier and its technical approach, the following logical components may be found generally in a typical CBTC architecture: Onboard ATP system. This subsystem is in charge of the continuous control of the train speed according to the safety profile, and applying the brake if it is necessary. It is also in charge of the communication with the wayside ATP subsystem in order to exchange the information needed for a safe operation (sending speed and braking distance, and receiving the limit of movement authority for a safe operation).

Onboard ATO system. It is responsible for the automatic control of the traction and braking effort in order to keep the train under the threshold established by the ATP subsystem. Its main task is either to facilitate the driver or attendant functions, or even to operate the train in a fully automatic mode while maintaining the traffic regulation targets and passenger comfort. It also allows the selection of different automatic driving strategies to adapt the runtime or even reduce the power consumption.

Wayside ATP system. This subsystem undertakes the management of all the communications with the trains in its area.

Additionally, it calculates the limits of movement authority that every train must respect while operating in the mentioned area.

This task is therefore critical for the operation safety.

Wayside ATO system. It is in charge of controlling the destination and regulation targets of every train. The wayside ATO functionality provides all the trains in the system with their destination as well as with other data such as the dwell time in the stations. Additionally, it may also perform auxiliary and non-safety related tasks including for instance alarm/event communication and management, or handling skip/hold station commands.

The typical architecture of a modern CBTC system comprises the following main subsystems: Wayside equipment, which includes the interlocking and the subsystems controlling every zone in the line or network (typically containing the wayside ATP and ATO functionalities). Depending on the suppliers, the architectures may be centralized or distributed. The control of the system is performed from a central command ATS, though local control subsystems may be also included as a fallback.

CBTC onboard equipment, including ATP and ATO subsystems in the vehicles.

Communication system. The CBTC systems integrate a digital networked radio system by means of antennas or leaky feeder cable for the bi-directional communication between the track equipment and the trains. The 2,4GHz band is commonly used in these systems (same as WiFi), though other alternative frequencies such as 900 MHz (US), 5.8 GHz or other licensed bands may be used as well.

ATS system. The ATS system is commonly integrated within most of the CBTC solutions. Its main task is to act as the interface between the operator and the system, managing the traffic according to the specific regulation criteria. Other tasks may METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED include the event and alarm management as well as acting as the interface with external systems.

Interlocking system. When needed as an independent subsystem (for instance as a fallback system), it will be in charge of the vital control of the trackside objects such as switches or signals, as well as other related functionality. In the case of simpler networks or lines, the functionality of the interlocking may be integrated into the wayside ATP system.

Electric Traction Systems The system which use electrical power for traction system i.e. for railways, trams, trolleys, etc. is called electrical traction. The track electrification refers to the type of source supply system that is used while powering the electric locomotive systems. It can be AC or DC or a composite supply. Selecting the type of electrification depends on several factors like availability of supply, type of an application area, or on the services like urban, suburban and main line services, etc. The three main types of electric traction systems that exist are as follows: 1. Direct Current (DC) electrification system 2. Alternating Current (AC) electrification system 3. Composite system.

1- DC Electrification System The choice of selecting DC electrification system encompasses many advantages, such as space and weight considerations, rapid acceleration and braking of DC electric motors, less cost compared to AC systems, less energy consumption and so on.

In this type of system, three-phase power received from the power grids is de-escalated to low voltage and converted into DC by the rectifiers and power-electronic converters.

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This type of DC supply is supplied to the vehicle through two different ways: a. 3rd and 4 the rail system operate at low voltages (600-1200V) b. Overhead rail systems use high voltages (1500-3000V) The supply systems of DC electrification include; a. 300-500V supply for the special systems like battery systems. b. 600-1200V for urban railways like tramways and light metro trains. c. 1500-3000V for suburban and mainline services like light metros and heavy metro trains.

Due to high starting torque and moderate speed control, the DC series motors are extensively employed in the DC traction systems. They provide high torque at low speeds and low torque at high speeds.

Advantages; a. In case of heavy trains that require frequent and rapid accelerations, DC traction motors are better choice as compared AC motors. b. DC train consumes less energy compared to AC unit for operating same service conditions. c. The equipment in DC traction system is less costly, lighter and more efficient than AC traction system. d. It causes no electrical interference with nearby communication lines.

Disadvantages; 1. Expensive substations are required at frequent intervals.

2. The overhead wire or third rail must be relatively large and heavy.

3. Voltage goes on decreasing with increase in length.

2- AC Electrification System An AC traction system has become very popular nowadays, and it is more often used in most of the traction systems due to several advantages, such as quick availability and generation of AC that can be easily stepped up or down, easy controlling of AC motors, less number of substations requirement, and the presence of light overhead catenaries that transfer low currents at high voltages, and so on.

The supply systems of AC electrification include single, three phase, and composite systems. The Single phase systems consist of 11 to 15 KV supply at 16.7Hz, and 25Hz to facilitate variable speed to AC commutation motors. It uses step down transformer and frequency converters to convert from the high voltages and fixed industrial frequency.

The Single phase 25KV at 50Hz is the most commonly used configuration for AC electrification. It is used for heavy haul systems and main line services since it doesn’t require frequency conversion. This is one of the widely used types of composite systems wherein the supply is converted to DC to drive DC traction motors.

ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED Three phase system uses three phase induction motor to drive the locomotive, and it is rated at 3.3.KV, 16.7Hz. The high-voltage distribution system at 50 Hz supply is converted to this electric motor rating by transformers and frequency converters. This system employs two overhead lines, and the track rail forms another phase, but this raises many problems at crossings and junctions.

Advantages; 1. Fewer substations are required.

2. Lighter overhead current supply wire can be used.

3. Reduced weight of support structure.

4. Reduced capital cost of electrification.

Disadvantages; Significant cost of electrification.

Increased maintainance cost of lines.

Overhead wires further limit clearance in tunnels.

Upgrading needs additional cost especially in case there are brigdes and tunnels.

Railway traction needs immune power with no cuts.

3- Composite System Composite System (or multi-system) trains are used to provide continuous journeys along routes that are electrified using more than one system. One way to accomplish this is by changing locomotives at the switching stations. These stations have overhead wires that can be switched from one voltage to another.

Another way is to use multi-system locomotives that can operate under several different voltages and current types. In Europe, it is common to use four-system locomotives. (1.5 kV DC, 3 kV DC, 15 kV 16 3Hz AC, 25 kV 50 Hz AC).

Third Rail A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost fully segregated from the outside environment. In most cases, third rail systems supply direct current electricity. The third-rail system of electrification is unrelated to the third rail used in dual-gauge railways.

Third rail systems are a means of providing electric traction power to railway trains, and they use an additional rail (called a “conductor rail”) for the purpose. On most systems, the conductor rail is placed on the sleeper ends outside the running rails, but in some cases a central conductor rail is used. The conductor rail is supported on ceramic insulators or insulated brackets, typically at intervals of 10 feet (3 metres) or so.

The trains have metal contact blocks called “shoes” which make contact with the conductor rail. The traction current is returned to the generating station through the running rails. The conductor rail is usually made of high conductivity steel, and the running rails have to be electrically connected using wire bonds or other devices, to minimize resistance in the electric circuit.

The conductor rails have to be interrupted at level crossings and at crossovers, and ramps are provided at the ends of the sections to give a smooth transition to the train shoes.

There is considerable diversity about the contact position between the train and the rail; some of the earliest systems used top contact, but developments used side or bottom contact, which enabled the conductor rail to be covered, protecting track workers from accidental contact and protecting the conductor rail from snow and leaf fall.

Benefits and disadvantages of third-rail systems Electric traction systems (where electric power is generated at a remote power station and transmitted to the trains) are considerably more cost-effective than diesel or steam units, where the power unit is carried on the train. This advantage is especially marked in urban and rapid transit systems with a high traffic density.

So far as first cost is concerned, third-rail systems are relatively cheap to install, compared to overhead wire contact systems, as no structures for carrying the overhead contact wires are required, and there is no need to reconstruct overbridges to provide clearances. There is much less visual intrusion on the environment.

However as third rail systems present the hazard of electric shock, higher system voltages (above 1500 v) are not considered safe.

Very high currents are therefore used, resulting in considerable power loss in the system, and requiring relatively closely spaced feed points (sub-stations).

The presence of an electrified rail also makes it extremely dangerous for a person to fall into the tracks. This, however, can be avoided using platform screen doors or the risk minimized by ensuring that the conductor rail is on the side of the track away from the platform.

Furthermore, third rail systems must either be fully gradeseparated, or, if they operate at-grade, they must implement some kind of mechanism to effectively stop pedestrians from walking onto the tracks at grade crossings. Third rail systems using top contact are prone to accumulations of snow, and ice formed from refrozen snow, and this can interrupt operations.

Some systems operate dedicated de-icing trains to deposit an oily fluid on the conductor rail to prevent the build-up.

Because of the gaps in the conductor rail (at level crossings and crossovers) it is possible for a train to stop in a position where all of its shoes are in gaps, so that no traction power is available. The train is said to be “gapped”. In these circumstances a following train is brought up behind the stranded train to push it on to the conductor rail or a jumper cable is used to supply enough power to the train to get one of its contact shoes back on the third rail. On some systems this prevents the running of very short trains (which have fewer shoes).

Technical aspects The third rail is usually located outside the two running rails, but occasionally between them. The electricity is transmitted to the train by means of a sliding shoe, which is held in contact with the rail. On many systems an insulating cover is provided above the third rail to protect employees working near the track; sometimes the shoe is designed to contact the side (called side running) or bottom (called bottom running) of the third rail, allowing the protective cover to be mounted directly to its top surface. When the shoe slides on top, it is referred to as top running. When the METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED Shoe slides on the bottom it is not affected by the build-up of snow or leaves.

These boards are typically made of fiberglass or timber. d. Protection Board Brackets Protection board brackets are mounted on either timber ties or concrete ties/base and are used to support the protection board at a distance above the steel contact rail. e. Third Rail Insulated Anchor Arms Third rail insulated anchor arms are located at the midpoint of each long section, with a maximum length for any section limited to 1.6 km (1 mile).

Pantograph

There are several ways of attaching the stainless steel to the aluminium. The oldest is a co-extruded method, where the stainless steel is extruded with the aluminium. This method has suffered, in isolated cases, from de-lamination (where the stainless steel separates from the aluminium); this is said to have been eliminated in the latest co-extruded rails. A second method is an aluminium core, upon which two stainless steel sections are fitted as a cap and linear welded along the centre line of the rail.

Because aluminium has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than steel, the aluminium and steel must be positively locked to provide a good current collection interface. A third method rivets aluminum bus strips to the web of the steel rail. The photo belowright depicts such a rail.

Technical advances The introduction of supercapacitors has the potential to lower the cost for trains running on third rail and overhead wires. Kinetic energy generated while braking is stored in supercapacitors on board the vehicle. This energy is then used when accelerating. This allows the supercapacitors to reduce current draw through the electrical pickup during acceleration, putting less stress on the electrical grid. Claimed peak energy reduction is around 30%.

a. Steel Contact Rail Steel contact rail is the rail that carries power for electric rail cars through the tunnel and is placed parallel to the other two standard rails. b. Contact Rail Insulators Contact rail insulators are made either of porcelain or fiberglass and are to be installed at each supporting bracket location. c. Protection Board Protection boards are placed above the steel contact rail to “protect” personnel from making direct contact with this rail.

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Pantograph is an apparatus which mounted on the roof of electric train to collect power through with an overhead tension wire. It lift or down on the basis of the wire tension. Typically a single wire is used with the return current running through the track. It is a common type of current collector. Typically, a single wire is used, with the return current running through the track.

The electric transmission system for modern electric rail systems consists of an upper, weight-carrying wire (known as a catenary) from which is suspended a contact wire. The pantograph is spring-loaded and pushes a contact shoe up against the underside of the contact wire to draw the electricity needed to run the train. The steel rails of the tracks act as the electrical return. As the train moves, the contact shoe slides along the wire and can set up acoustical standing waves in the wires which break the contact and degrade current collection. This means that on some systems adjacent pantographs are not permitted. Pantographs with overhead wires are now the dominant form of current collection for modern electric trains because, although more fragile than a third-rail system, they allow the use of higher voltages.

Pantographs are typically operated by compressed air from the vehicle’s braking system, either to raise the unit and hold it against the conductor or, when springs are used to effect the extension, to lower it. As a precaution against loss of pressure in the second case, the arm is held in the down position by a catch. For highvoltage systems, the same air supply is used to “blow out” the electric arc when roof-mounted circuit breakers are used.

Pantographs may have either a single or a double arm. Doublearm pantographs are usually heavier, requiring more power to raise and lower, but may also be more fault-tolerant.

Metro Automation Metro Automation In metro systems, automation refers to the process by which responsibility for operation management of the trains is transferred from the driver to the train control system.

ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED There are various degrees of automation (or Grades of Automation, GoA); these are defined according to which basic functions of train operation are responsibility of staff, and which are the responsibility of the system itself. For example, a Grade of Automation 0 would correspond to on-sight operation, like a tram running on street traffic. Grade of Automation 4 would refer to a system in which vehicles are run fully automatically without any operating staff onboard.

train did not stop at terminus and hit a bumper stop, provoking injuries in a few dozen passengers..

Increase in quality of service Overall, passengers perceive an increased quality of service, thanks to the enhanced reliability of trains and shorter waiting times in platforms. The re-deployment of staff in stations also increases passenger’s level of subjective safety and security.

Financial feasibility For new lines, automation costs have a relatively low comparative weight within the overall budget. Main cost factors are mainly connected to the rolling stock, the signalling and control systems and platform and track protection systems:

Unattended Train Operation has many benefits and many beneficiaries: customers, operators, funding authorities and staff.

Rolling stock – An increase in commercial and average commercial speeds, reduced headways and the optimal distribution of reserve train sets along the lines translate in gains in the fleet. Thanks to higher reliability, it is possible to achieve more capacity with the same (or even reduced) fleet size; the technical reserve (spare vehicles) can also be downsized.

Signalling and control systems – Full UTO represents a higher cost than traditional ATP systems. However, the current trend is to install CBTC systems on new lines – even with drivers (GoA2). The signalling technology being basically the same, the cost difference is marginal in the case of a new line.

Vancouver’s Skytrain, a pioneer in automation The implementation of UTO systems allow operators to optimise the running time of trains, increasing the average speed of the system, shortening headways up to 75 seconds, and reducing dwell time in stations (in optimal conditions) to 15 seconds.

Greater flexibility in operation By taking the human factor out of the driving equation, operators gain flexibility and can make better use of assets. UTO systems offer a more tailored service coverage, reducing overcapacity supply at off-peak hours and enabling operators to inject trains in response to sudden surges in demand, for example in the case of big events.

Impressive safety records UTO systems also offer safer operations by reducing the humanrisk factor; well designed UTO systems have proven to be more reliable than conventional metros and hold an impressive safety record. Platform and track incidents aside, there has been only one operational incident in Osaka, at the end of the 80s, when a

Platform & track protection systems – The need to replace the role of the driver in preventing platform and track incidents represents the highest civil engineering cost increase. Metro also becomes affordable for smaller cities: when trains run more frequently, the system does not need to be “oversized” to cope with peak demand. Accordingly, civil structure works can be of smaller scale. even in the case of conversion Line conversion poses a more complicated business case. It is necessary to factor in extra costs due to the technical difficulties connected to the modification of the existing signalling and control systems and the need to replace or retrofit existing rolling stock, as well as the increased cost and complexity of installing platform and track protection systems in older stations. To minimise its impact, conversion projects should be timed to the end of the life cycle of the existing equipments. For conventional lines that upgrade to UTO in parallel with the renewal of rolling stock or signalling equipment, it is estimated that the return on investment period is around 10 years. (The automatism costs METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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ARTICLE SYSTEM FOCUSED Being offset by gains in rolling stock fleet, this figure refers to the extra cost of retrofitting PSD into existing stations).

Operational cost factors: staff & energy gains When factoring in operational costs, automated lines come clearly ahead of conventional lines; some studies indicate a halving in operational costs. Staff costs are greatly reduced thanks to the abolition of the drivers’ function, even in cases of line conversion, when staff is likely to be retrained and deployed to other functions. Acceleration and deceleration patterns can be adjusted to reduce energy consumption and maximise energy recovery, thus significantly reducing energy costs. While maintenance costs are marginally increased due to the introduction of platform and track protection systems, the overall balance is positive thanks to the gains in personnel and energy costs.

Holistic efficiency and organisation opportunities Implementing UTO (as a new system or retrofit of an older line) is a major milestone in the life of the operating company. The introduction of a more sophisticated computerised system and Operation Control Centre (OCC) should be an opportunity to review most operation processes and assess how they can be improved and “plugged in” to the system in order to extract maximum benefit from the data process capabilities installed, and also yield better performance at optimised costs. The main operation areas likely to be affected are: operation resource planning, staff training, rolling stock management, maintenance management, quality management.

Job profile change The introduction of UTO requires some significant changes to the qualifications of staff. Routine driving work disappears and staff is no longer locked inside a cabin, but deployed along the line and in contact with customers. Front-line staff needs a customeroriented profile and some technical knowledge to be able to reset defective equipments (e.g. escalators) or drive in case of failure.

OCC staff requires demanding qualifications and skills to be able to perform emergency operation without the support of onboard staff.

In general terms, staff in a UTO line acquires a deeper knowledge of all the key systems, as well as a global overview on the functional interactions among them, allowing for professional growth. In automated lines, operational staff tasks also evolve towards maintenance. Two fields of activity totally separated in a traditional line merge, having a positive impact in the staff (who has a more diverse profile) and the line.

As a consequence, UTO raises the attractiveness of the job profiles, and of the operator company as an employer, contributing to staff motivation. In those systems where it is possible to compare with conventional lines, the indicators show that UTO line staff are more satisfied with their job and translate into reduced levels of absenteeism.

Technical progress has made train control systems capable of supervising, operating and controlling the entire operational process. The key elements for this are: Automatic Train Protection (ATP) is the system and all equipment responsible for basic safety; it avoids collisions, red signal overrunning and exceeding speed limits by applying brakes automatically. A line equipped with ATP corresponds (at least) to a GoA1.

Automatic Train Operation (ATO) insures partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functionalities. The ATO system performs all the functions of the driver, except for door closing. The driver only needs to close the doors, and if the way is

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clear, the train will automatically proceed to the next station. This corresponds to a GoA2. Many newer systems are completely computer controlled; most systems still elect to maintain a driver, or a train attendant of some kind, to mitigate risks associated with failures or emergencies. This corresponds to a GoA3.

Automatic Train Control (ATC) performs automatically normal signaller operations such as route setting and train regulation. The ATO and the ATC systems work together to maintain a train within a defined tolerance of its timetable. The combined system will marginally adjust operating parameters such as the ratio of power to coast when moving and station dwell time, in order to bring the train back to the timetable slot defined for it. There is no driver, and no staff assigned to accompany the train, corresponding to a GoA4.

At Grade of Automation 4, ATC systems work within an overall signalling system with interlocking, automatic train supervision, track vacancy detection and communication functions.

Four Levels for A Full-sized Automated Train Control System

The Operation Control Centre (OCC) supervises the overall train running and provides automatic train supervision (ATS) functions.

The ATP, ATO and ATC functions are performed by on-board and wayside equipments which exchange data.

Wayside level – providing automatic train protection (ATP), automatic train operation (ATO), electronic interlocking and track vacancy detection functions from the trackside Train borne level – providing ATP, ATO and human-machine interface (HMI) functions on board the trains.

Various types of communication between track and train.

Progress of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) means that traditional equipments such as induction loops or beacons are increasingly replaced by radio communication.

(The Article First Appeared in railsystem.net)

CASE STUDY ARTICLE

Co-branding Strategies in Mass Rapid Transit System

C

o-branding is a strategic alliance between multiple brands.

Marketers adopt the strategy, also known as brand partnership by utilizing multiple brand names of goods or services. This strategy includes branding alliances, usually involving the brands of two or more companies. The strategy is beneficial for various businesses focusing on enhancing the market share, customer base, loyalty amongst existing customers, brand equity and image, profitability, perceived value, and cost savings. Eventually, different retail outlets, restaurants, automobile companies, manufacturing units are adopting this strategy. The brands are collaborating with other brands in order to multifold their brand image by means of adopting strengths of various brands. In simple words, co-branding is a strategy that enriches market share and capitalize on increased customer awareness.

Types of Co-branding strategies A brief review of the types of Co-branding strategies are presented below to understand what kind of Co=branding strategy has been used by DMRC: Ingredient Co- Branding- In this particular type of co-branding, one brand is applied as a component in the production of another brand. Largely, such Co-Branding takes place between existing suppliers or large buyers. For example, Intel Processors are used in the Dell computers.

Promotional/ Sponsorship Co-Branding– Such Co-Branding is usually adopted by Entertainment Industry and Sports leagues where well-known brands offers sponsorships to various award functions, sports events, social events, etc. in order to create brand image like sponsorship offered by DLF, Pepsi etc. in IPL matches.

Value Chain Co-Branding – This particular type of co-branding is a Product Service Co-Branding. For example, Air India and American Express Co- Brand Card offer several reward points and tailored benefits to the flyers of Air India. Similarly, Supplier Retailer Co-Branding-Barista Lavazza offers free Wi-Fi services at its cafe through the tie-up with spectra net, the Shyam Group; Alliance Co-Branding- Alliance of Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.

Innovation Based Co-Branding – This type of co-branding provides some innovative benefits in terms of product or services.

For example, Nike and Apple have come together through the invention of Nike+ footwear in which iPod can be connected with shoes that will play music and will tell the time, distance covered, calories burnt and heart pace of an athlete.

Thus, co-branding is a widely adopted strategy that facilitates differential benefits to the parent brands. Past studies suggest the source of these differences may be due to the partners’ relative market position, and characteristics such as brand familiarity, brand equity and proximity to the consumer. Hilary et al (2015) study the role of brand positioning in the context of Co-branding and its impact on customer perceptions. Usman et.al (2014) explore the combined brand equity after co-branding.

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CASE STUDY ARTICLE The Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) involving rail network is a capital and technology intensive project and has long gestation period before it becomes operational. It (MRTS) being a people oriented public transport system, there are constraints to the financial aspects of the project, particularly the Return on Investment (ROI) and Operating Income from Fare (charge per kilometer) etc.

DMRC, a multi-modal transport system for the India’s capital Delhi was established in the year 1995 to build a metro in three phases serving Delhi and its neighbouring cities Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad, the network construction began in 1998, and the first section was opened in 2002 on the Red Line. It is the 10thlongest metro system in the world and the network consists of seven colourcoded regular lines and the faster Airport Express Line, with a total length of 288 kilometers (179 mi) serving 214 metro stations. The rail network consists of underground as well as elevated stations. The power output is being supplied through overhead catenaries.

DMRC operates over 3,000 trips daily, with first trains starting at around 05:00am and last at 23:30 pm. DMRC’s train comprises of 4, 6 as well as 8 coaches. In Delhi 270 sets of train are operational.

It has an average daily ridership of close to three million passengers and served over 1.0 billion riders in total during the year 2018. Delhi Metro has revolutionized travel by providing a speedy, dependable, secure, and comfortable means of transport. An exclusive feature of Delhi Metro is its amalgamation with other modes of public transport, providing the commuters to expediently interchange from one mode to another DMRC has over 12000 employees and it operates 214 metro stations in Delhi-NCR region (Noida, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad).

The annual revenue for the financial year 2018-19 is Rs.6462 crores as per their Annual report 2018-19. Its revenue registered

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Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of a little over 28 % over the past 10-year period (2009-19), an impressive growth rate for a Public Sector Undertaking. Despite its impressive revenue growth, the Operating losses have a Compounded Annual Negative Growth Rate of 18% over the same period (2009-2019).

DMRC had initiated Co-branding at 44 Metro stations in DelhiNCR region and had signed draft license agreement (DLA) directly with 6 companies and 10 marketing agencies. The recurring annual charges ranged from Rs70 lakhs to approximately Rs2 crores depending on the location of a metro station and the space allocated.

Co-branding Strategies of DMRC DMRC provides co-branding opportunity by – (i) naming a particular Metro station by the name of the sponsoring company; (ii) Coach wrapping with the advertorial of the sponsoring company and (iii) Metro Tokens are covered with Micro advertisements providing wide publicity to the promoted brands. Ÿ It was observed that DMRC has implemented the Cobranding strategy at 44 leading Metro Stations of Delhi and the stations have been named after the sponsoring companies. DMRC has a total of 214 Metro stations in DelhiNational Capital Region. Ÿ On the basis of the above segmentation, DMRC follows undifferentiated targeting strategy. Ÿ Renaming of stations such as MG Road to Syska LED MG Road and Noida City Centre to Wave Noida City Centre etc., and DMRC is earning Rs.2 crore per annum per station. Ÿ

(This article is a part of the paper published at SSRN and Authored by D. N. Rao, Seema Bushra, Krity Gulati)

OPINION ARTICLE

India can open up its locals and metro rail safely even during a pandemic

E Making public

arly evidence from Paris and Vienna show that the pandemic-risk of public transport may be overblown, says Janette Sadik-Khan, a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. Sadik-Khan, who advises cities around the world in her role as the head of the Global Designing Cities Initiative, says India’s megacities like Mumbai and Delhi can adopt simple strategies to open up mass transport to everyone. Edited excerpts:

transport safe during COVID-19

Cities around the world have opened up, but public transport is still largely shut. In Delhi, the metro has been closed for 3 months now. Is there a viable way to open up public transport safely?

There’s so much that we don’t know about the coronavirus and how it spreads. But we’ve seen enough new evidence to suggest that public transport hasn’t been the super-spreader that many have assumed. In many cities, public transport never shut down during the pandemic, and many people relied on it to reach essential jobs and services every day. There was a lot of concern generated by an MIT study in April that claimed subways seeded the pandemic in New York, but that thesis hasn’t held up. The study was based on postal-code overlays with subway stations, not on contact tracing or even confirming if patients had taken transit. But people don’t read methodologies, and these findings and official warnings to avoid crowds and enclosed places have scared people and may hold them back from returning to transit.

This fear of transit may ultimately be more damaging than the potential threat of riding it. There is no recovery without transit.

Switching even a fraction of bus and train trips to driving would bring intense traffic congestion, pollution and traffic danger that would be disastrous for cities.

Which cities are adopting the best strategies and what’s working? What are these strategies?

Winning back passengers will have as much to do with fear management as transportation planning. Transit agencies like those in Delhi and Mumbai have to reassure passengers with high-profile cleaning regimens and strong health messaging campaigns. Universal mask-wearing can help make the system safer. Masks are already common in Asian cities, and that alone can make a huge difference. Cities in China and Korea require masks at all times or when metro trains are full.

There is new evidence from Paris and Vienna where they couldn’t

find any coronavirus clusters traceable to transit trips. If public transport had played a key role in spreading the virus, then we would also have seen huge outbreaks in cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo, which are dense, transit-dependent cities. Cities in Asia that have reopened their transport systems, like Seoul, haven’t seen infection spikes. There are a lot of reasons to be cautious and people’s concerns are understandable. But the evidence shows that there’s no reason to be more concerned with the safety of transit than with the places where you are travelling to and from.

We have more facts now than we did when transit systems started winding down in March and April. Transit agencies have to take strong, visible steps to manage passengers’ fears and win them back.

Among vehicle manufacturers, there is already a surge of expectation that covid could induce a large-scale shift to private mobility. What could be the degree of this shift and what will be the consequences?

I don’t think cars will come to the rescue. Given the scope of the economic downturn and with nearly 300 million people out of work globally, it’s unclear how many people are feeling confident about making a major purchase like a vehicle. Cities shouldn’t wait to see what happens and watch if people start to drive. They should take steps to win passengers back to transit. A first step to avoiding a mobility meltdown will be for cities to reclaim roadway lanes from cars and repurpose them for people to walk, bike and take buses. If we surrender the road and allow cars to reclaim the space, it will mark the greatest mobility failure and missed opportunity of our age.

What is the best-case scenario for a city in a post-pandemic world? What are the broad measures that urban areas can take to survive and thrive during the pandemic?

We need a revolutionary reclaiming of street space for people on a scale that we’ve never seen before and I think it could mark a historic turning point for cities. Transportation as we know it has disappeared. Cities have the power to decide what replaces it.

The almost daily road reclamations (for bike lanes and walking spaces) happening in Milan, in Paris, in London, in Mexico City or Bogota shows that these aren’t just emergency actions. They’re strategies for a long-term economic recovery and prosperity that won’t just outlive the pandemic, they will define the way the cities look, feel and function for decades if not centuries to come.

(The article first appeared on Livemint and authored by Ajai Sreevatsan )

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SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE

Japan's new bullet train N700S debuts that can run during an earthquake

J

apan's latest record-breaking shinkansen bullet train model doesn't only offering improved performance and upgraded cabin features, and it's also able to transport passengers to safety in the event of an earthquake.

The N700S, the 'S' stands for 'Supreme' entered into service on July 1, 2020, departing Tokyo for Osaka on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line and travelling on to Hakata in southwestern Japan.

It can run up to 360 kilometres per hour, a new record set during a test run in 2019, making it one of the fastest trains in the world. The operating speed, but, will be capped at 285 kilometres per hour.

It's the first new bullet train model to be added to the Tokaido Shinkansen line by the Central Japan Railway (JR Central) in 13 years, a launch that was initially timed to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 -- now postponed to 2021.

Coincidentally, Japan introduced the Tokaido Shinkansen line in 1964, connecting Tokyo and Osaka, just in time for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo that same year. It was the world's first highspeed railway line.

Cutting-edge technology Appearance-wise, the N700S doesn't look too different from the older N700 or N700A models, apart from its elegant golden logo.But look closer and you'll see the brand-new train has a more angular nose, chubbier "cheeks" and sleeker headlight design.

On the inside, newly designed seats allow passengers to recline further, offering more comfort, especially for long-haul riders.

Each seat has an individual power outlet.

Interior lighting has been designed to create a softer, more relaxing atmosphere. The overhead baggage racks will be lit up at each stop to remind passengers of their belongings.

More reservation-only storage areas for extra-large luggage have

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been added to this model as well.The actual ride will be a lot quieter and smoother, too, thanks to a new active suspension system that helps absorb train movements.

In addition to a focus on increased comfort, designers behind the new model put great emphasis on safety.The train has an upgraded automatic control and braking system that allows it to halt faster in case of an emergency. It's also fitted with lithium-ion battery self-propulsion system -- the first of its kind in the world.

This system allows the train to run for a short distance on its own during a power outage.

It will make it possible for it to move to a safer location at low speed if stranded in a high-risk area on a bridge or in a tunnel, for example during an earthquake.

More cameras have also been installed inside car compartments - an increase from two cameras to up to six in each train car. The upgraded components will take up less space under the train floor compared to the old model, making it possible for a more flexible configuration, from four to 16 cars.

This also decreases energy consumption while speeding up production times, making it a more appealing option for operators internationally.

"By making the mechanisms under the floor of the N700S lighter and more compact, we created a new standard," Masayuki Ueno, deputy head of JR Central's bullet train business department, told Japanese broadcaster NHK in an interview in 2019.

"This new standard will also help when it comes to expanding our business overseas."

RAILWAY PRIVATISATION ARTICLE

Indian Railways invites proposals from private companies to run passenger trains

I

ndian Railways, the world’s fourth-largest network is seeking investments from private firms to operate passenger trains for the first time. The Ministry of Railways today invited request for qualifications (RFQ) from the private companies submit their interest to run passenger trains over 109 pairs of routes by introducing 151 modern trains on Public-Private Partnership. The project will entail an investment of about Rs 30,000 crore.

The 109 pairs have been formed into 12 Clusters across the Indian Railway network. Every Train will have a minimum of 16 coaches.

The 12 clusters are Mumbai-1, Mumbai-2, Delhi-1, Delhi-2, Chandigarh, Howrah, Patna, Prayagraj, Secunderabad, Jaipur, Chennai and Bengaluru.

“The majority of Trains to be manufactured in India under the “Make in India” initiative. The private entity shall be responsible for financing, procuring, operation and maintenance of the trains” Said Railway Board.

Trains will be designed for a maximum speed of 160 kmph. There would be a substantial reduction in journey time. The running time taken by a train shall be comparable to or faster than the fastest train of Indian Railways operating in the respective route.

The aim of this initiative is to propose modern technology rolling stock with controlled maintenance, reduced transportation time, support job creation, provide enhanced safety, provide worldclass travel experience to passengers, and also reduce the demand-supply deficit in the passenger transportation sector.

The Concession Period for the project shall be 35 years. The private companies shall pay to Indian Railways fixed haulage charges, energy charges as per actual consumption and a share in Gross Revenue determined through a transparent bidding process.

These trains shall be operated by the Driver and Guard of Indian Railways. The operation of the trains by the private entity shall

conform to the key performance indicators like punctuality, reliability, upkeep of trains etc.

Operation and maintenance of the passenger trains would be governed by standards & specifications and requirements specified by Indian Railways.

A pre-bid meeting has been scheduled on 21 July 2020 at 11.30 hrs at 2nd Floor, Conference Room, Rail Bhawan, Raisina Road, New Delhi – 110001. RFQ documents can be uploaded from Govt. of India’s CPP portal from 1st July 2020 to 8th September 2020 up to 1100 hrs (IST) on payment of Rs 2,36,000/- towards cost of tender documents. The bids can be submitted by or before 8th September 2020 till 1100 hrs (IST) and the tender will be opened on same day at 1130 hrs (IST).

Asia’s third-largest economy has been clobbered by the pandemic and a months-long lockdown, growing at its slowest pace in at least two decades last quarter.

The shutdown, which put millions out of work overnight, is broadly expected to fall the country into recession. Fears for the economy prompted the government to allow many businesses to resume operations starting last month despite an ongoing increase in infections, which have now crossed 600,000.

Even before Modi announced the lockdown in late March, the economy was struggling to gain traction with sluggish growth, record unemployment and a flurry of bad loans making banks reluctant to lend.

Private train operations may begin by April 2023 These companies could be running trains in India The first bidding process noticed about 20 companies in infrastructure and transportation business express interest. These include Adani Ports, Tata Realty and infrastructure, Essel Group, METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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RAILWAY PRIVATISATION ARTICLE Bombardier India and Macquarie group. However, it was before the coronavirus pandemic.

At this point, In the post-pandemic world, will the same player’s bid? it is not clear yet, though, given that these players have implemented multiple infrastructure projects of the government and with the financial muscle they possess, they could be potential contenders.

Adani Ports Adani group owns one of the largest private railway lines in India that spans 300 km connecting ports and other business hubs for cargo movement. This is in addition to the large scale infrastructure projects the company handles.

The company also has worked with the Ministry of Railways and Metro corporations in different states. In 2019, the company set up its own subsidiary to focus on metro rail projects.

Essel Group If there is one other group that has the capability and the bandwidth to bid, it would be Subhash Chandra-led Essel Group.

The group has been involved in multiple government infrastructure projects for decades.

The group’s foray into railways came in 2018 when it won its first Railway projects.

In 2018, the group’s infrastructure arm Essel Infraprojects Ltd won the first railway project for Rs 17.06 billion on the Eastern Freight Corridor connecting Howrah and Chennai mainline. Its competitors at that time included IRCON International, an Indian Railways infrastructure arm.

Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd It is a 100 percent subsidiary of the Tatas and is the infrastructure arm of the group. The firm was qualified for the HinjewadiShivajinagar Metro in Pune and participated in the bid to lay the underground stretch for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System.

Foreign players Bombardier The German firm is the first foreign multinational company to set up a wholly owned railway vehicle manufacturing facility in India, more than 50 years ago. They are one of the largest locomotive suppliers to Delhi Metro and have delivered close to 776 metro cars till date. In May, the company won the contract to supply 210 commuter and metro cars for the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System.

Given their long-standing relationship with the railway ecosystem, they are strong contenders as well.

Alstom Alstom is a global transportation solutions provider with a strong presence in India. It offers a complete range of equipment and services, from high-speed trains, metros, trams and e-buses to integrated systems, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solution. Today, Alstom employs ~5600 people in India and has four manufacturing facilities, located in Sri City, Coimbatore, Madhepura and Kolkata. The company has also setup its second largest Global Engineering Centre in Bengaluru. In line with Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, the company has been investing heavily in the country to produce world class rolling stock, components, design, research and development to serve the domestic as well as international markets. With this, the company is well-positioned to participate in railway projects.

Show less.

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In this regard, Alain SPOHR, Managing Director, Alstom India & South Asia Said: “Alstom offers a complete range of equipment and services, from high-speed trains, metros, trams and e-buses to integrated systems, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions.

Our ambition is to partner with all transportation stakeholders in meeting tomorrow’s mobility challenges. Alstom supports Indian Railways’ move to introduce modern technology Rolling Stock at maximum speed of 160 km/h, with reduced maintenance and enhanced safety. Many countries, including Japan, Germany, US and Canada have successfully managed such railroad privatisation. The first move of privatising 151 trains will add to this effort by bringing world-class travel experience to Indian passengers. While the tendering for this project is at initial stages, Alstom will be interested in exploring this opportunity, as we have innovative solutions for enhanced passenger experience along with the right product expertise to address the Indian market.

Alstom has been associated with India’s progress for many decades now and has a long-standing reputation for providing highly innovative and sustainable solutions for meeting the country’s transport requirements. In line with the Make-in-India policy and the Prime Minister’s recent call for Atmanirbharta (Selfreliance), Alstom has indigenous production for metro trainsets, electric locomotives, electrical traction and control equipment.

Alstom also has a strong track record of running several projects successfully across India. With 4 domestic factories, we are geared to address the Rolling Stock and component needs of Indian Railways.”

The discussion paper titled ‘Private Participation: Passenger Trains’ has identified 100 routes, including Mumbai Central-New Delhi, New Delhi- Patna, Allahabad-Pune and Dadar-Vadodara. Other prominent routes include Howrah-Chennai, Howrah-Patna, Indore-Okhla, Lucknow-Jammu-Tawi, Chennai-Okhla, Anand Vihar-Bhagalpur, Secunderabad-Guwahati and Howrah-Anand Vihar Show less

MAKE IN INDIA ARTICLE Second export order for the light Metro project in Montreal.

MAKE IN INDIA” of Metro Cars another Success Story

W

hen the first line of Delhi Metro was inaugurated in 2002, the coaches were imported as CBUs (Completely Built Units) from Germany and South Korea. 16 years later, 90% of the coaches running on the 8 lines of the over 300 km network of the country’s largest and the world’s 9th longest Metro network in Delhi is made in India. This indigenisation of Metro coaches was facilitated by the contract conditions of DMRC, which mandated a cap on the upper limit of 25 % for production abroad with the balance to be manufactured in India.

This in turn brought in global manufacturers like Bombardier, Alstom, Hyundai Rotem (with BEML) and Titagarh Firema to form their subsidiaries and joint ventures in India. In 2019 Titagarh Firema has been awarded a contract by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha Metro) to supply 102 aluminum-bodied metro cars for the first phase of the metro network in Pune Alstom India rolled out out the 100th ‘Make-in-India’ metro train-set today from its state-of- the-art rolling stock manufacturing facility in Sricity, Andhra Pradesh. The delivery of the centurion trainset to Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) also marks completion of the Kochi Metro order for 25 trainsets by Alstom. Kochi operates a 100% ‘Make in India’ metro fleet entirely custom-built at the flagship manufacturing facility at Sricity. The facility was set up in 2013 as Alstom’s first global manufacturing centre for rolling stock in the Asia-Pacific region.

This plant commenced operations in November 2013 and delivered its first metro train-set to Chennai Metro Rail Corporation (CMRL) in February 2014. The facility currently employs more than 600 employees and has a production capacity of 240 cars per year. The factory is currently scaling up to double production capacity and also introducing latest industrial Technologies.

Till date, Alstom’s Sricity facility has made on-time deliveries of more than 420 metro cars for its Indian and international customers. This includes delivering completely indigenous trainsets to metro rail corporations of Chennai, Lucknow, Kochi and Sydney (its first international order).; see newsletter METRO 103, page 20 in PDF Portfolio METRO 9, Http://www.drwingler.com.

In December 2018 Alstom achieved a significant milestone by completing the export of the last of the 22 Metropolis trains for Sydney Metro, Austria, delivered from its 2013 set up Sricity facility. Alstom India has began from early 2019 to work on its

ALSTOM Driver-less METROPOLIS Metro Train build in India for Sydney, Australia

In 2002, BEML forayed into the manufacturing of state-of-the-art Metro Coaches. Since then, more than 1600 metro coaches have been supplied to various metro rail corporations in India such as Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai. BEML holds over 48 percent market share in Metro coach segment in India against stiff competition.

To cater for burgeoning metro orders, BEML recently set up an additional assembly line, and currently the Company has the capacity in its units to produce over 700 rail coaches per year and 300 metro cars per year. Further expansion plans would be based on market demand to augment the annual production capacity by 360 metro cars.

With the experience gained in manufacture, integration and testing of Metro cars, BEML expanded its role in Metro Business and is commanding a good market share in India; see exclusive Interview with Dr. Deepak Kumar Hota, Chairman & Managing Director, BEML, in METRO RAIL NEWS, Edition May 2020, page 24, ISSN 2582-2330 / Vol. IV / Issue 41; Symbroj Media Publication, India.

BEML build Metro Train for Bangalore Metro Manufacturing Units in India ource UITP India 2014

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MAKE IN INDIA ARTICLE The capital costs of Metro coaches in India are substantially lower than the rest of the world. The capital cost of a coach is around INR 89.4 million (US $ 1.35 million) in India, the cost in Vancouver is INR 160.8 million (US $ 2.5 million) and in San Francisco is INR 151.3 million (US $ 2.30 million). Three Metro coach manufacturing units have already been established in India:

China Railway Rolling Stock Corp (CRRC) is planning to setup its manufacturing unit in the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN).

Metro Coaches Market The existing numbers of coaches supplied or ordered for various metro project is as Follows:

This conditions pushed international manufacturers to setup facility in India. This has helped to also boost establishment of ancillary units and helped generate employment.

To move up in value chain, the companies has started indigenisation process and major sub system of metro coaches have been indigenised. Other parts including window glasses, battery boxes, brake blocks, bogie frames, vacuum circuit breakers, propulsion among others are also being manufactured in India.

Manufacturing Units in India

The capital costs of Metro coaches in India are substantially lower than the rest of the World. The capital cost of a coach is around INR 89.4 million (US$ 1.35 million) in India, the cost in Vancouver is INR 160.8 million (US$ 2.5 million) and in San Francisco is INR 151.3 million (US$ 2.30 million). Three Metro coach manufacturing units have already been established in India:

THE FUTURE OF METRO COACH INDUSTRY IN INDIA; India Source: UITP India 2014

Metro is emerging as key solutions to fulfil demand for urban transportation in India. As per Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), about 316 kilometres of Metro rail is under operation and more than 500 kms of Metro rail is under construction across the country.

It is expected that 5 new systems will become operation by 2017, mainly Hyderabad, Lucknow, Noida, Kochi and Navi Mumbai.

Some of the metro lines, like Nagpur and Ahmedabad are under construction.

The emergence of metro sector in India has also benefited construction and equipment industry. Further, it has helped to commence metro coach industry in India. The country imported the CBUs (Completely Built Units) from Germany and South Korea at the launch of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

China Railway Rolling Stock Corp (CRRC) is planning to setup its manufacturing unit in the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN).

Metro Coaches Market The existing numbers of coaches supplied or ordered for various metro project is as Follows:

Metro Coaches – ‘Make in India’

The industry has covered the long way in last 15 years from being an importer of metro coaches to become exporter of coaches to other countries. 90% of the coaches supplied to Delhi metro are manufactured in India and also maiden consignment of six metro coaches made in Bombardier facility were shipped to Queensland and Sydney Metros in Australia in January 2016.

Bombardier Transportation will export a total of 450 metro coaches over a period of two-and-a-half year. Further, India will also be exporting 521 bogie frames to Brazil for Sao Paulo Monorail.

The contract conditions of DMRC mandate a cap on upper limit of 25 per cent for production abroad while the balance is to be necessarily manufactured in India either through tie-ups or a wholly-owned subsidiary.

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(Disclaimer: Numbers released by metro operators or manufacturing agency in public Domain) Future Demand As per industry estimates, there will be a demand of 2000 metro trains in India in the next 5 years (2015-2020). The Delhi Metro currently operates with a fleet of 227 train sets comprising of 128 six coach, 58 eight coach and 41 four coach trains across all its corridors. A total of 924 coaches have been ordered for the forthcoming phase of Delhi Metro including 504 coaches for the new Phase 3 corridors. Further, new metro systems like Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Kanpur etc. will release tender in coming months for the procurement of rolling stock.

EXPERT VIEW ARTICLE Without an expansion, and with the growth of road travel, the share of the Railways would steadily decline in the coming years.

Why Indian Railways opened doors for private players?

I

ndian Railways has launched the process of opening up train operations to private entities on 109 origin-destination(OD) pairs of routes using 151 modern trains. It has invited Request for Qualifications proposals, for scrutiny of vendor capabilities, from those who can bring modern trains for operations on existing rail infrastructure. At present, scheduled passenger train services remain paralysed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and various railways have been running only specials such as those for workers. Yet, the Railway Board has moved ahead with a longpending plan, setting a tentative schedule for private train operations, expected to begin in 2023 and in 12 clusters.

In December 2019, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had said that a Group of Secretaries had gone into the question of allowing private train services. There was no proposal to allow more Tejas trains from Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), the Minister said. The IRCTC, in which the government is the majority shareholder, was given pilot Tejas operations in the New Delhi-Lucknow, and Mumbai-Ahmedabad sectors. These were the first trains allowed to be run by a ‘nonRailway’ operator. The present move takes another step towards competing passenger train operations, bringing new-generation trains and attracting investments of an estimated ₹30,000 crore.

What is the background to the decision?

Several committees have gone into the expansion and the modernisation of Indian Railways. In 2015, the expert panel chaired by Bibek Debroy constituted by the Ministry of Railways a year earlier, recommended that the way forward for the railways was “liberalisation and not privatisation” to allow entry of new operators “to encourage growth and improve services.” It also made it clear that a regulatory mechanism was a prerequisite to promote healthy competition and protect the interests of all stakeholders.

The present invitation for private operators to submit qualification bids for 151 trains would be, in the assessment of the Railway Board, only for a fraction of the total train operations — 5% of the 2,800 Mail and Express services operated by Indian Railways. The overall objective, however, is to introduce a new train travel experience for passengers who are used to travelling by aircraft and air-conditioned buses.

From a passenger perspective, there is a need for more train services, particularly between big cities. The Railway Board says five crore intending passengers could not be accommodated during 2019-20 for want of capacity, and there was 13.3% travel demand over the supply during summer and festival seasons.

Why is the move significant for Indian Railways?

For the Railways, one of the largest organisations in the country operating not just trains for passengers and freight, but also social institutions such as hospitals and schools, it represents a radical change. According to data maintained by the World Bank, in 2018 India had 68,443 route kilometres of railways. It is among the four largest rail networks in the world, along with the United States, China, and Russia, although every kilometre of track in India covers geographical area much less than Germany, Russia, China or Canada, indicating scope for expansion.

An analysis of passenger and freight operations in the Railways, taken note of by the Economic Survey and the erstwhile Planning Commission, showed that a steady shift to other modes of travel for both categories was affecting economic growth: by as much as 4.5% of GDP-equivalent. It was estimated that a one rupee push in the railway sector would have a forward linkage effect of increasing output in other sectors by ₹2.50. The Debroy committee found this significant to take the ‘Make in India’ objective forward. The panel also noted that passengers were willing to pay more, if they had guaranteed and better quality of travel and ease of access. The move to augment capacity virtually overnight through private capital in train operations pursues this line of reasoning.

Are private train operations sustainable?

Train services operated by Indian Railways cover several classes of passengers, meeting the social service obligation to connect remote locations, and adopting the philosophy of cross-subsidy for passengers in low-cost trains through higher freight tariffs. In more recent years, it has focused on revenue generation through dynamic demand-based pricing.

Private operators are not expected to shoulder the burden of universal service norms, and will focus on revenue. Even the first IRCTC-run trains have a higher cost of travel between Lucknow and Delhi than a Shatabdi train on the same route that almost matches it for speed. So private operators would have to raise the level of their offering even higher, to justify higher fares, and attract a segment of the population that is ready to pay for this difference.

The government would have to explain that it has monetised its expensive fixed assets such as track, signalling and stations adequately for the taxpayer, who has paid for them.

The key piece in the scheme is the independent regulator, recommended by expert committees. Before the pandemic struck, the Government of India said in the Lok Sabha in March that it had notified the resolution to set up a Rail Development Authority as a “recommendatory/advisory” body, advising the government on, among other things, promoting competition, efficiency and economy, and protecting consumer interests.

Private rail operations can thus be seen as a government-led pilot plan, not a full programme for unbundling of the monolithic Indian Railways. However, the more attractive parts are being opened for private exploitation.

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ARTICLE

Mumbai Ahmedabad High-Speed Project takes Stock; India How Indian Railways can use COVID-19 as an opportunity to improve

Artist`s Concept for Vadodara High-Speed Railway Station

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ndia’s first high-speed project – a 508 km new line linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad – faces major challenges to meet the December 2023 opening date.

Services on the line are due to begin in December 2023, but it is yet to be seen whether this goal will be met.

MR. Achal Khare, managing director of India’s National HighSpeed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), which is responsible for implementing the Mumbai – Ahmedabad high-speed project, has been facing uncomfortable questions recently.

These include how real are fears that the project – India’s first high-speed railway – is likely to miss its December 2023 completion deadline and suffer higher costs. With execution work on the line at a standstill for the last three years, what is the justification to invite tenders to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on six other lines? What are the reasons for the variance in figures furnished by NHSRCL and the state governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra regarding land acquisition? How will the project re-start in Maharashtra following the decision by Mr Uddhav Thackeray, the state’s new chief minister, to halt execution work on a scheme he describes as a “white elephant”?

Khare faces other challenges too. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian government has banned all foreign nationals from entering the country, which is likely to adversely impact project implementation. Indeed, 80% of the Rs 1 trillion ($US 14.6 bn) needed to fund the project will come from a 20-year Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) loan of Rs 880 bn with a 1% interest rate and a 15-year moratorium on repayment.

Another problem concerns the ever-widening gap between the Indian rupee and the Japanese yen. When the contract was signed in 2014, the value of the Jica loan Component was estimated at Rs 880bn, but the fall in the value of the rupee against the yen is estimated to have increased the cost of the project by Rs 430bn. “The Memorandum of Understanding

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Between the two countries covers depreciation costs, but not currency fluctuations,” Khare admits.

If the rupee does not stabilise, the Indian government could well end up paying substantially more to repay the loan in addition to the interest payments to the Japanese government. “The Delhi Metro had a Jica loan of approximately Rs 10bn in 2002 but ended up paying back Rs 17 bn, an increase of 70%, after the end of the 10-year moratorium in 2011-12. A similar situation cannot be ruled out in respect of the loan for the high-speed project,” former Railway Board member, Mr Subodh Jain, warns.

“These are time-consuming and complex issues, but it is difficult to proceed without resolving them first.” Achal Khare, Managing dDrector of India’s National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) Additionally, the trend of spiralling project costs does not appear to have been halted. From the initial estimate of Rs 970 bn, the project cost climbed to Rs 1080bn after the Indian government opted for an almost entirely elevated line, and there have been indications lately that the project cost could rise still further. Some changes in project costs are likely because of certain alignment changes and engineering modifications,” Khare says. “For example, instead of the earlier plan to use drilling and blasting for tunnelling, it has been decided to use 13.2 mdiameter tunnel boring machines to bore tunnels beneath Thane Creek near Mumbai where there is a flamingo sanctuary. Design changes have also been made to the construction of Vadodara’s high-speed station because the height of the station and overhead wires in the original plan would have interfered with the guidelines of the Airport Restrictions Zone.”

Project costs are also likely to escalate because of the growing demand from farmers for a bigger compensation package in exchange for surrendering land for the project. Farmers in Maharashtra and Gujarat have refused to part with their farmland for the project.

ARTICLE Growing Criticism NHSRCL has faced growing criticism regarding the slow progress in executing the project. Early last year, the corporation floated nine civil work tenders out of the total of 14, but the opening date of the financial bids was continuously pushed back from November last year to January and then March this year. Now, the latest projections are that the bids will not be opened until November. “Unless the monetary issues are sorted out between India and Japan, it will not be possible for NHSRCL to open and award the tenders,” an official earlier associated with NHSRCL says.

“Some changes in project costs are likely because of certain alignment changes and engineering modifications.” Achal Khare Unofficial estimates are that the Japanese component of the project has nearly doubled and that NHSRCL has been under pressure to revise its financial estimates. Khare, however, maintains that the exercise to formulate the project estimates will be undertaken after the bids are opened. Regarding the decision to push back the tender opening date, he said that this had been done on account of the corporation’s other preoccupations.

Nevertheless, Khare lists the achievements so far: Ÿ tendering of civil works for 345km out of a total length of 508km Ÿ relocating 916 of the 1638 public utilities involving state governments Ÿ completion of joint measurement surveys in 291 of the 297 villages identified for purchase Ÿ acquisition of 810 hectares of the total of 1396 hectares needed for the project, and Ÿ finalisation of a system to pay compensation to farmers for land surrender.

In addition, an agreement on moving utilities to build the highspeed station on a 76 hectare site at Sabarmati in Gujarat has also been reached, while a high-speed training institute has been constructed at Vadodara and will open in December.

“These are time-consuming and complex issues, but it is difficult to proceed without resolving them first,” Khare says.

However, major tasks remain. A joint venture for rolling stock assembly or manufacture has yet to be agreed. “Japanese companies such as Kawasaki and Hitachi have been in talks with Indian public sector undertakings, such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), and an agreement is expected to be firmed up soon,” Khare says. A bigger challenge will be resolving issues concerning project finance at upcoming meetings of the Indo-Japan Technical Committee and the Project Joint Committee, cochaired by Mr Rajiv Kumar, vice-chairman of the Indian government policy think tank Niti Aayog.

But the biggest challenge will be meeting the December 2023 completion date, when 10-car trains each carrying 750 passengers are due to start operating on the new line. As traffic builds up, 16-car trains carrying 1250 passengers will be introduced. The line is expected to operate 35 trains per day per direction, carrying 17,900 passengers. Traffic on the new line is eventually expected to reach 92,900 passengers/day.

Mumbai – Ahmadabad High-Speed Line: Total length – 508 km.

Elevated – 471 km.

Tunnels – 25 km.

Embankments and cuttings – 12 km.

Stations – 10.

Design speed – 350 kmph.

Journey time – 2h 10 min.

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ARTICLE

DMRC became one of the greenest metro services in the world

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he Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had recently announced that it is meeting 32 percent of its total energy requirement from the 750 MW solar power project set at Rewa Solar Park in Madhya Pradesh, making it one of the greenest metro services in the world.

"PM Narendra Modi has dedicated the Rewa Solar Energy Plant to the nation. DMRC is meeting nearly 60 per cent of daytime energy requirements from Rewa and overall 32 per cent of total energy requirements from Rewa. With this, DMRC has become one of the greenest Metros in the world," a tweet by the official handle of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

PM Modi while inaugurating Asia's largest 750 MW solar power project set at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh said that solar energy is the pure form of energy and would help the country towards achieving "Atmanirbharta" (self-reliance).

"Not just for the present, solar energy will be a medium of energy needs of the 21st century because solar power is sure, pure, and secure. It is sure because the Sun would shine throughout the world; it is secure because solar energy rather than polluting the environment, helps in replenishing it and it is secure because it is a testimony and inspiration towards 'atmanirbharta'," the Prime Minister said in his address, in which he dedicated the project to the nation.

The Rewa Solar Park is comprised of three solar generating units of 250 MW each located on a 500-hectare plot of land situated

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inside a solar park. Central financial assistance of Rs 138 crore has been provided to Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) for the development of the solar park.

PRESS RELEAS

Bombardier wins contract to supply 201 metro cars and signalling for the AgraKanpur Metro lines in India

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ail technology leader Bombardier Transportation has received a Letter of Award (LoA) from India’s Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) to build and deliver 201 metro cars and an advanced signalling solution for the AgraKanpur Metro projects. For the 30 km Agra Metro and the 32 km Kanpur Metro, Bombardier’s scope for the contract comprises 67 BOMBARDIER MOVIA metro three-car trainsets and the advanced BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 650 rail control solution. The Letter of Award is valued at approximately INR 2051 crore (245 million euro, $275 million US) and the customer has a provision to exercise an option of an additional 51 metro cars.

We look forward to bringing our innovative, safe and reliable mobility solutions to Agra and Kanpur’s citizens and to making a major positive impact on the local environment and economy.

manufactured in Savli, India by Bombardier, shall be a feather in “Make in India” dream of India.”

He further stated that this partnership between UPMRC and Bombardier for delivering the Rolling Stock and Signaling System for Kanpur and Agra Metro Projects will prove to be a very satisfying experience for all the associated parties in implementing these world-class Metro Projects in short time.

Rajeev Joisar, Managing Director for India at Bombardier Transportation India, said, “Bombardier is honoured to have been chosen by Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) for this highly collaborative project to deliver the rolling stock and advanced signalling system for the Agra and Kanpur metro projects. The new metro cars will be locally designed and built, and the rail control will be equipped by our project delivery teams in India. With this award, Bombardier becomes the only rail supplier in India chosen to deliver the broad portfolio of rail solutions for Indian customers in the segments of Metro and Commuter cars, Rail Equipment, Signalling Systems and Services.”

He added, “We are very proud of the confidence bestowed on us by our new customer, UPMRC in India, to move millions of people daily with our trains and signalling solutions, and to be partners in delivering their vision of 'Moving People, Adding Values’. We look forward to bringing our innovative, safe and reliable mobility solutions to Agra and Kanpur’s citizens and to making a major positive impact on the local environment and economy.” Ÿ 1.4 million daily riders will benefit from new metro services connecting the city clusters of Agra and Kanpur and iconic destinations including the Taj Mahal Ÿ Over 1,000 MOVIA metro cars and 200 km of CITYFLO signalling ordered by India’s operators make this country one of Bombardier’s largest metro markets

In accordance with country’s ‘Make in India’ guidelines, the 201 metro cars will be designed and built in India. (This image rendering is an artistic impression of the standard BOMBARDIER MOVIA metro. Actual train image will differ in realization. © 2020, Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved.)

Mr. Kumar Keshav, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC), Lucknow (India), expressed his delight at having the Bombardier Consortium as an integrated Rolling Stock and Signaling System partner for the upcoming Metro projects. He said, “UPMRC has the responsibility of implementing the prestigious Kanpur and Agra Metro projects in the State of Uttar Pradesh in India in a very strict time frame. After achieving the distinction of completing the Lucknow Metro as the fastest implemented metro project in India in less than four and half years (36 days ahead of schedule), UPMRC is committed once again to replicating the same achievement in the delivery of the Kanpur and Agra Metro Projects. Manufacturing and supply of 67 high-end state-of-the art modern trainsets of three-cars each,

(R-L) Rasmi Ranjan Ray, Head of Rail Control Solutions India for Bombardier Transportation, during the Letter of Award signing with the team from Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (UPMRC) led by Kumar Keshav, Managing Director; Atul Kumar Garg, Director Rolling Stock and Systems; Suresh Kumar, Chief Electrical Engineer for Rolling Stock and Ankit Yadav, Deputy General Manager for Rolling Stock.

The Agra and Kanpur metro rail projects will have two corridors each connecting major public nodes, tourist places including the Taj Mahal, and city cluster areas, resulting in a sustainable and METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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PRESS RELEAS Reliable public transport system for the two cities. For the four million people in Kanpur and the two million people in Agra, the metro will bring improved connectivity and an enhanced passenger experience.

The project will be executed in accordance with country’s ‘Make in India’ guidelines, with the trains being manufactured at Bombardier’s Savli and Maneja sites near Vadodara in India. The rolling stock will be designed at the Global Engineering and Technology Centre in Hyderabad, India.

In India, Bombardier is one of the largest rolling stock providers and the largest signalling solution supplier to Delhi Metro, one of the world’s leading metro operators. Since 2007, 816 metro cars have been ordered and more than 140 km of metro lines have been equipped with Bombardier’s signalling technology. In addition to the CITYFLO 650 solution installed on Delhi’s lines 7 and 9, Delhi Metro lines 5 and 6 are equipped with Bombardier’s CITYFLO 350 signalling solution.

This is the second major contract for Bombardier in India this year.

In May 2020, Bombardier announced that it had won the contract to build and deliver 30 regional commuter trainsets of six-cars each and 10 intracity mass transit trainsets of three-cars each, together with 15 years of rolling stock maintenance for the DelhiGhaziabad-Meerut semi-high-speed rail corridor of the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) from India’s National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).

About Bombardier Transportation in India With around 1,500 employees, Bombardier Transportation in India operates a railway vehicle manufacturing site and bogie assembly hall at Savli, near Vadodara, Gujarat.

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This is in addition to a propulsion system manufacturing facility at Maneja and Train Control and Management System (TCMS) centre at Atladara in Vadodara; a Rail Control Solutions centre for project delivery and product engineering and an Information Services India hub in Gurugram, Delhi NCR and an Engineering Centre in Hyderabad.

It is a long standing partner of Indian Railways supplying propulsion equipment for their locomotives and Electric Multiple Units (EMU’s). Bombardier also exports rail equipment from India to the company’s rolling stock projects all over the world.

Bombardier helps to move around five million people daily in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata and its propulsion systems equip locomotives that travel around 300,000 track kilometres daily on Indian Railways’ network.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Aarvee Associates bags PMC Contract of Phase 1B of Kochi Metro Rail Project

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ochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) awarded the Project Management Consultant (PMC) contract of Phase 1B (2.95 km extension from Petta to Tripunithura through 2 stations at Vadakkekotta and SN Junction) of Kochi Metro Rail Project to Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers & Consultants bags in late-June. The Quality Cum Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method used to select Aarvee Associates. In which proposals remained ranked and scored according to their combined technical and financial score. Aarvee Associates scored the highest technical score and also placed the lowest bid.

On February 11, 2020, KMRL invited tenders for the above contract with a submission deadline of May 26. Although technical bids were opened on May 29. 2020 to declare a list of 4 bidders deleted below PMC Contract Technical Bid Score of May 29, 2020

Scope of work Tender no.: KMRL/PRJ/PHASE1EXT/PMC/19/TEN1 Project Management Consultant (PMC) of phase 1 extension of Kochi Metro Rail Project from Petta to Tripunithura terminal covering a distance of 3 km including Panamkutty River Bridge According to the source, Aarvee Associates will be awarded if no issues arise during financial bid evaluation.

Status of Kochi Metro Phase 1B 2 civil sections: Petta – SN Junction (1.79 km) – Under construction by KEC International – China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (KEC-CCECC) JV through an Rs. 265 crore contract it won in June 2019. Ÿ SN Junction – Tripunithura (1.163 km) – KMRL invited bids for this section’s civil construction earlier in May. The last date to submit bids is July 14. LKT Engineering Consultants was awarded this section’s Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) contract on May 18. Ÿ

Why Rs 1,126 crore contract to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co, a Chinese firm

PMC Contract Financial Bid Values of June 23, 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS On June 12, Govt awarded a contract of Rs 1,126 cr to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (STEC), a Chinese multinational construction company.

As per the National Capital Region Transport Co (NCRTC) – the Governments of India (GOI), Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan along with UP, mandated for completing the RRTS. The STEC has appeared as the lowest bidder for the RRTS construction of the 5.6 km underground stretch from New Ashok Nagar to Sahibabad.

Have a look of all the companies and their bid:

This is one of the 3 rapid-rail corridors proposed under the RRTS project. The distance among Delhi-Meerut will be met in around 62 minutes, as per NCRTC. NCRTC had invited global bids for the 1st underground civil construction package last year in November and the technical bids for this contract package were opened on 16th of March.

Co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Ashwani Mahajan said that the tender for such projects should be awarded to an Indian company. As the govt is promoting ‘Make in India’ and construction of such big projects should be handled through an Indian company. Govt authorities in the past as well have cancelled few tenders to promote ‘Make in India.

NCRTC PRO, Sudheer Sharma said to Metro Rail News that this not confirmed yet, that Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (STEC) got this contract, officials are figuring it out and announce the report soon. However, as per experts, the govt is trying to reduce Chinese aggression as a “dispute”.

General Consultancy contract of Kanpur & Agra Metro Rail awarded

A joint venture of Technica Y Projectos, S.A. – Italferr S.P.A emerged as the lowest bidder for giving the General Consultancy services for the execution of Phase 1 of Kanpur & Agra Metro Rail projects in UP. The UP Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (UPMRC) presented the financial bids. Only 2 bidders have proposed their bids & found

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technically qualified. Technica Y Projectos, S.A. – Italferr S.P.A JV – Rs 260,62,51,052.00, AECOM Asia – Egis Rail – Aarvee Associates – Egis Consulting Engineers JV – Rs 241,27,12,500.00.

Based on the terms of the tender, the bidders were chosen by Quality cum Cost Based Selection process and the technical score taken via each bidder is as under, Technica Y Projectos, S.A. – Italferr S.P.A JV – 7547.84 points, AECOM Asia – Egis Rail – Aarvee Associates – Egis Consulting Engineers JV – 6497.90 points.

UPMRC had called a request for offers (RFP) (Contract UPMRC/KNPAGGC-01) for the terms of general consultancy services for the Kanpur & Agra Metro projects on 12 Dec 2019.

Technical bids were opened on 13 March 2020.

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

ZONEGUARD A Roadway Worker Protection System by Miller Ingenuity ZoneGuard, the most advanced RWP system on the market, provides reliable and accurate protection by leveraging modern technological advances. It is the only worker safety product on the market to utilize diverse and redundant train detection sensors connected to a wireless mesh data radio network. This provides coverage for long protection zones typically required on freight and passenger rail operations and virtually eliminates all false alerts caused by inaccurate detection typically found on other RWP systems on the market. ZoneGuard has also been successfully tested in challenging scenarios including through long curves, high noise urban environments, multi-track detection, and even directly under high power lines.

T h e s ys t e m wa s s p e c i f i c a l l y d e s i g n e d t o m e e t F R A recommendations of adopting electronic protection to coincide with existing worker protection safety rules. ZoneGuard’s goal is not to replace, but to strengthen the standards that are in place for track worker safety.

Adopting ZoneGuard as your secondary worker protection system also increases your available track maintenance time. The RWIC and crew will receive an alert on their personal alert devices from a network of either portable or fixed train detection modules that detect track vehicles over multiple miles of railroad track. Once the train has cleared the zone, the RWIC can quickly return their crew members to the track, allowing for a safer and more efficient work zone as well as increasing train velocity.

This eRWP safety solution can be installed affixed to permanent structures such as a catenary pole or transported to each job-site using Miller’s compact and lightweight portable unit.

While not requiring on-board installation to operate, the system’s on-board component can provide real-time on track vehicle location information to provide precise warnings to train operators and workers when approaching an active work crew, and can allow for PTC integration through future updates.

Additionally, ZoneGuard's cloud-based Web Dashboard provides customers with real-time worker/work zone information, as well as, many key efficiency and safety performance reports to ensure that workers are working in compliance with federal and customer specific safety rules. The dashboard also lets Miller Ingenuity support staff monitor real-time diagnostics and system performance, collect train detection information logs, and provide remote updates to the system for continual system enhancement and quick and seamless system updates.

Fixed Train Detection Module // Fixed Train Alert Module

Worker Wearable Device - Railway Worker in Charge

Worker Wearable Device - Watchman Lookout

ZONEGUARD PRODUCTS Worker Wearable Device - Worker

ZoneGuard Onboard Unit (Optional) Portable Train Detection Module // Portable Train Alert Module METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

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JOB OPENING

Metro & Railway job openings Organization 1.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL)

2.

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL)

Description ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁

S. No.Assistant Manager – 04 Posts Assistant General Manager -02 Posts General Manager – 02 Posts Deputy General Manager – 02 Posts Manager – 02 posts Executive Assistant – 04 Posts Director – 01 Posts General Manager – 01 Post Manager - 02 Posts Assistant Manager – 01 Post Chief General Manager/ General Manager – 01 Post Chief General Manager/ General Manager/ Additional General Manager – 01 Post Chief Vigilance Officer -01 Post Chief General Manager / General Manager -01 Posts

Last Date 21/07/2020

07/08/2020

28/08/2020

08/08/2020 05/08/2020

3.

⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁

Deputy General Manager – 01 Post Director -01 Post General Manager -01 Post AM / Manager – 04 Posts Deputy Head of Department – 02 Posts Supervisor – 07 Posts

31/07/2020 04/08/2020 31/07/2020

4.

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC)

⦁ ⦁ ⦁

Deputy General Manager – 01 Post Director – 01 Post Assistant General Manager – 02 Posts

07/08/2020

5.

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL)

⦁

Advisor/ Finance – 01 Post

27/07/2020

⦁ ⦁

Deputy General Manager -01 Post Chief Vigilance Officer – 01 Posts

22/07/2020

6.

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Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

METRO RAIL NEWS | JULY 2020 | WWW.METRORAILNEWS.IN

ARTICLE EVENT

Metro and Railway Industry Events Calender

Dates

Event Name

Venue

July 22-23, 2020

South Asia Rail

Leela Palace, New Delhi, India

Aug. 07, 2020

9th, Metro Rail Summit 2020

Sofitel BKC Mumbai

Aug. 26-27, 2020

RailTech 2020

Delhi, India

Aug. 26-28, 2020

RailwayTech Indonesia 2020

Jakarta, Indonesia

Oct. 06-08, 2020

Intermodal Europe 2020

Rotterdam Ahoy, Netherlands

Oct. 12-15, 2020

Bentley Year In infrastructure Awards 2020

vancouver, Canada

Oct. 13-15, 2020

14th HTS 2020

Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India

Oct 20-22, 2020

6th Smart Cities India 2020 Expo

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

Oct 20-22, 2020

Transport India 2020 Expo

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

Oct 30 - Nov. 01 2020

13th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2020

New Delhi, India

Nov 03-06, 2020

bauma CONEXPO INDIA

Huda Ground, Gurugram, India

Nov. 11-12, 2020

Intelligent Transport Conference 2020

etc Venues, 133 Houndsditch, Liverpool Street, London, UK

New Dates Coming Soon

5th Edition Rail India CONFERENCE & EXPO 2020

The Lalit New Delhi

Nov 04-07, 2020

Asian Machine Tool Exhibition (AMTEX)

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

Nov 04-05, 2020

Asia Pacific Rail 2020

Bangkok, Thailand

Nov 30-Dec 02, 2020

International Rail Forum & Conference

Prague, Czech Republic

Nov 30- Dec 02, 2020

Rail Live Conference & Exhibition

Madrid, Spain

Dec. 01-03, 2020

IT-TRANS 2020

Karlsruhe, Germany

Dec 09 - 10, 2020 Jan-21

Rail Industry Meetings PowerGen India

Valenciennes, France IECC, Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India

Mar. 24-25, 2021

Geo Connect Asia 2020

Singapore

April. 27-30, 2021

InnoTrans 2020

Berlin, Germany

April 07-08, 2021

Digital Rail Maintenance 2020

Singapore

May 11-13, 2021

13th International Railway Infrastructure Exhibition - Infrarail 2020

NEC, Birmingham, United Kingdom

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LIVE TENDER M etro Rail Tender NO.

TENDER DETAILS

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2

3

4

LOCATION

Design, Construction And Completion Of Underground Stations And Tunnel Including Finishes From Surat Railway Station To Chowk Bazar Ramp From Chainage 7160.6m To Chainage 10720m, Comprising Twin Bored Underground Tunnel Between Surat Railway Station And South Ramp, All Cut And Cover Portion Including Three Underground Stations Viz. Chowk Bazar, Maskati Hospital And Surat Railway Station With Entry/Exits & Connecting Subway By Box Pushing Method And A Portion Of Natm And Launching And Receiving C.....

Gujarat, India Design, Construction And Completion Of Underground Stations And Tunnel Including Finishes From Kapodra Ramp To Surat Railway Station From Chainage 3700m To Chainage 7160.6m, Comprising Twin Bored Underground Tunnel Between Northern Ramp And Surat Railway Metro Station, All Cut And Cover Portion Including Three Underground Stations Viz. Kapodra, Labheshwar Chowk And Central Warehouse With Entry/Exits & Connecting Subway By Box Pushing Method And A Portion Of Natm And Launching And Receiving Chamb.....

Gujarat, India Construction Of 11.6 Km Elevated Viaduct From Kadarsha Ni Nal To Dream City Dead End Including Ramp For Depot Entry Near Dream City And 10 Stations (Excl. E&M, Architectural Finishing And Roofing) For Surat Metro Rail Project Phase – 1, Package – Cs1 Gujarat, India Construction Of Elevated Structures (Viaduct And Stations) Of Lenght 11.003 Km Including 281.00 Mm Of Viaduct Beyond Phase 2 A From Chainage 0.000 To 10072.000mm Amd Eight Elevated Metro Stations, Including 650.00 Link Line Connectivity To Baiyappanhalli Road Widening, Utility Diversion And Allied Works Of Metro Rail Project Phase 2b, 250m Pocket Track, Road Widening, Utility Diverson And Allied Works.

Karnataka, India

Construction Of Viaduct, Ramp And Under Ground Rcc Box Including Related Works For 3.520 Km Length From Ch. 25891.527 To Ch. 29410.989 Between Existing Pier Cp-760 Near 5 City Centre-Ii To Merging Point With Metro Railway At West Bengal, India Corrigendum : Construction Of Metro Railway Viaduct From P276 To P314 Including Mominpur Station And Majerhat Station (Excluding Pd Building And Occ Building Side ) And Ramp At Joka Depot End In Connection With Joka-Esplanade Metro Railway Project In 6 Kolkata, West West Bengal, India

DEADLINE

942.16

14-09-2020

929.46

14-09-2020

805.15

31-08-2020

645.3

526.62

31-07-2020

190.64

29-07-2020

Corrigendum : General Consultancy Cum Project Management Consultancy Works For Construction Of Elevated And Underground Metro Railway Works From Majerhat (Ex.) To Esplanade, Approx. 6 Km In Connection With Joka-Bbd Bag Metro Corridor In The State Of 7 West Bengal West Bengal, India

139.99

30-07-2020

Construction Of Ballast Less Track (Blt) On Elevated Viaduct, Underground Tunnel, Station & Yard And Other Miscellaneous Works From Chainage (-) 90m To 7195m I.E. Noapara To Bimanbandar Yard In Connection With Extension Of Metro Railway From Noapara To 8 Barasat Via Bimanbandar.

West Bengal, India

89.03

21-07-2020

Mrts - Phase-Il- Extension From Velachery To St.Thomas Mount-Proposed Chennai Metro Rail Limited Works Between St. Thomas Mount And Adambakkam In The 9 Common Alignment Area Between Pier No.158 A And Pier No.178a .(Two Packet System) Tamil Nadu, India

48.78

30-07-2020

Corrigendum : External Facade Works Of 05 (Five) Elevated Stations I.E. Dahisar (E), Anand Nagar, Rushi Sankul, Ic Colony And Eksar Of Line 2a On Dahisar (East) To Dn Nagar Corridor 10 Of Mumbai Metro Rail Project, Mumbai.

Maharashtra, India

41.71

21-07-2020

38.66

21-07-2020

32.8

21-07-2020

32.8

21-07-2020

26.03

24-08-2020

Corrigendum : External Facade Works Of 04 (Four) Elevated Stations I.E. Goregaon, Adarsh Nagar, Shastri Nagar And D.N.Nagar Of Line 2a On Dahisar (East) To Dn Nagar Corridor Of 11 Mumbai Metro Rail Project, Mumbai.

Maharashtra, India Corrigendum : External Facade Works Of 04 (Four) Elevated Stations I.E. Charkop, Malad, Kasturi Park And Bangur Nagar Of Line 2a On Dahisar (East) To Dn Nagar Corridor Of 12 Mumbai Metro Rail Project, Mumbai.

Maharashtra, India Corrigendum : External Facade Works Of 04 (Four) Elevated Stations I.E. Don Bosco, Shimpoli, Mahavir Nagar And Kamraj Nagar Of Line 2a On Dahisar (East) To Dn Nagar 13 Corridor Of Mumbai Metro Rail Project, Mumbai.

Maharashtra, India

Design, Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning Of Electronic Interlocking System (Indoor & Outdoor) At Dumdum Cantonment & Bimanbadar Station And Design, Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning Of Train Protection And Warning System (Tpws) Track Side System Along With Other Different Signalling Equipments Like- Msdac, Aftc, Data Loger, Tms, Etc. With Automatic Signalling Work In Section From Noapara To Bimanbandar 14 Of Metro Railway, Kolkata.

West Bengal, India Road Regrading & Resurfacing Of Different Roads In Various Zones In Ahmedabad City 15 Across Metro Rail Corridor.

Gujarat, India Request For Praposal For Appointment Of Independent Engineer For O&M Period For 16 Hyderabad Metro Rail Project Telangana, India

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TENDER DETAILS LOCATION Appointment Of General Consultant For Civil Works Of Mumbai Metro Line 10 (Gaimukh Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road)) And Mumbai Metro Line 12 (Kalyan - Taloja) Of 17 Mumbai Metro Rail Project Of Mmrda".

Maharashtra, India

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21 22

Construction Of Elevated Viaduct From Jyothipuram Station (Excluding) To Kia Terminals And Fifteen Elevated Stations Viz., Kasturi Nagar, Horamavu, Hrbr Layout, Kalyan Nagar, Hbr Layout, Nagawara, Veeranna Palya, Kempapura, Hebbal, Kodigehalli, Jakkur Cross, Yelahanka, Bagalur Cross, Bettahalasuru, And Doddajala, [Excluding Architectural Finishing Of Stations], Including Road Widening, Utility Diversion & Other Allied Works Of Bengaluru Metro Rail Project, Phase-2b.

Karnataka, India Design, Manufacture, Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning Of Signalling And Train Control Including Platform Screen Doors Systems For Main Lines And Depot Of Line 4 And Extension Corridor Wadala - Kasarvadavali - Gaimukh Of Mumbai Metro Rail Project Of Mmrda - Ca 72 Maharashtra, India Corrigendum : Request For Expression Of Interest Selection Of Consultants For Surat Metro Rail Project – Phase-1 Gujarat, India Kac-4 - Construction Of Viaduct From S.N. Junction To Thripunithura Including One Elevated Stations I.E. Thripunithura Terminal For Phase 1 Extension Of Kochi Metro Rail Project Excluding Architectural And Building Service Works Of Station Kerala, India Corrigendum : Supply Of Group Captive Renewable Power To Chennai Metro Rail Limited For Long Term Through Tariff Based Competitive Bidding Process Tamil Nadu, India

Construction Of Metro Railway Viaduct From P276 To P314 Including Mominpur Station And Majerhat Station (Excluding Pd Building And Occ Building Side ) And Ramp At Joka Depot End 23 In Connection With Joka-Esplanade Metro Railway Project In Kolkata, West Bengal West Bengal, India 24 Providing Train Operation Services To Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Detailed Desing Consultant For Foot Over Bridges(Fobs) Connecting, Sandal Soap Factory Metro Station To Iisc With A Connectivity To Ttmc Yeshwanthpur, Western Side To Eastern Side Of Yeshwanthpur Railway Station And Multi Level Parking Facilities Near 25 Yeshwanthpur Metro Station And Indiranangar Metro Sation Metro Rail Project.

Request For Proposal (Rfp) For Licensing Of Advertisement Rights Inside Selected Metro Stations Of Reach - 1 And Reach - 3 Of Nagpur Metro Rail Project For A 26 Period Of 05 Years” Supply, Installation, Testing And Commissioning Of Facade Lighting At Stations 27 Of Metro Rail Project.

Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning Of Facade Lighting At Stations Of 28 Nagpur Metro Rail Project Supply, Installation, Commissioning, Training And Camc Of X-Ray Baggage Scanner, Door Frame Metal Detector (Dfmd), Hand Held Metal Detector (Hhmd), Q-Managers And Ladies 29 Frisking Booth For 30 Nos. Of Stations Of Pune Metro Rail Project.

Supply, Installation, Commissioning, Training And Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract Of X-Ray Baggage Scanner, Door Frame Metal Detector (Dfmd), Hand Held Metal Detector (Hhmd), Q-Managers And Ladies Frisking Booth For 30 Nos. Of Stations 30 Of Metro Rail Project.

Supply And Installation Of Track Plinth Jumpers For Reach-2 And Reach-4 Corridor Of 31 Nagpur Metro Rail Project.

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Maharashtra, India Maharashtra, India

Design, Construction And Completetion Of Underground Stations And Tunnel Including Finishes From Kapodra Ramp To Surat Railway Station From Chainage 3700m To Chainage 7160.6m, Comprising Twin Bored Underground Tunnel Between Northen Rampand Surat Railway Metro Station, All Cut And Cover Portion Including Three Underground Stations Viz. Kapodra, Labheshwar Chowk And Central Warehouse With Entry / Exists & Connecting Subway By Box Pushing Method And A Portion Of Natm And Launching And Receiving Ch..... Gujarat, India Engagement Of An Independent Environmental And Social Consultant For Surat Metro Rail Project Phase 1 Gujarat, India Supply Of 60 E1 880 Grade Rails As Per Indian Railway Specification T 12 2009 For Bangalore Metro Rail Projects Phase 2 Karnataka, India Request For Proposal For Selection Of Licensee For Construction , Operation And Maintenance Of Temporary Commercial Structures On Dbfot Basis In Ppp Mode At Open Spaces , Lumbini Enclave Premises At Madhapur , Besides Nursery , Open Space Near Jubilee Hills Check Post Metro Rail Station Situated Telangana, India

DEADLINE

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27-07-2020 16-07-2020

30-07-2020

21-07-2020

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TENDER DETAILS Corrigendum : Re Tender- Selection Of Proof Consultancy Services For The Detailed Structural Design Of The Viaduct And One Elevated Station From S.N. Junction To Thripunithura Of Phase 1b Of Kochi Metro Rail Project Supply Of Axle Bracket Channel Assembly For Trcc Arrangement (Ac Rake) As Per Metro Railway Drg.No.Mr/Poh/1-022.

Corrigendum : Re Tender Selection Of Proof Consultancy Services For The Detailed Structural Design Of The Viaduct And One Elevated Station From S.N. Junction To Thripunithura Of Phase 1b Of Kochi Metro Rail Project Project Management Consultancy Services For The Works Of A) Site Development Of Metro Car Depot At Joka B) Setting Up Of Metro Car Depot At Joka And C) Construction Of Metro Viaduct & Stations From Majerhat To Mominpur In Connection With JokaEsplanade Metro Railway Project.

Project Management Consultancy Services For The Works Of A) Site Development Of Metro Car Depot At Joka B) Setting Up Of Metro Car Depot At Joka And C) Construction Of Metro Viaduct & Stations From Majerhat To Mominpur In Connection With JokaEsplanade Metro Railway Project.

Selection Of Proof Consultancy Services For The Detailed Structural Design Of The Viaduct And One Elevated Station From S.N. Junction To Thripunithura Of Phase 1b Of Kochi Metro Rail Project

42 Translocation Of Trees For Both Corridors Of Patna Metro Rail Project At , Bihar.

Engagement Of Consultancy Services For Development Of Multi Modal Integration Plan For, (I) Corridor-1 From Sarthana (Ch: 0.0) To Dream City (Ch: 20710.30 M) – Twenty (20) Stations & (Ii) Corridor-2 From Bhesan (Ch: 0.0 M) To Saroli (Ch: 17341.80 M) – Eighteen (18) Stations, 43 Under Surat Metro Rail Project, Phase – I Engagement Of Consultancy Services For Development Of Multi Modal Integration Plan For, (I) Corridor-1 From Sarthana (Ch: 0.0) To Dream City (Ch: 20710.30 M) – Twenty (20) Stations & (Ii) Corridor-2 From Bhesan (Ch: 0.0 M) To Saroli (Ch: 17341.80 M) – Eighteen (18) Stations, 44 Under Surat Metro Rail Project, Phase – I

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Kerala, India

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West Bengal, India

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10-8-2020

West Bengal, India

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17-08-2020

Bihar, India

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Kerala, India

Maharashtra, India

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Kerala, India Kerala, India

RRTS Tender TENDER DETAILS Location Corrigendum : Package 24- Design, Supply, Installation, Testing And Commissioning Of Signalling And Train Control And Telecommunication Systems For Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut Rrts Corridor Of Ncrtc.

Delhi, India Package 22- Design, Manufacturing, Supply, Installation, Testing And Commissioning Of Elevators For Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut Rrts Corridor Of Ncrtc Multi Location Package 21- Design, Manufacturing, Supply, Installation, Testing And Commissioning Of Escalators For Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut Rrts Corridor Of Ncrtc Multi Location Design, Manufacturing, Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning Of Escalators, Elevators For Dlhi- Ghaziabad - Meerut Rrts Corridor Of Ncrtc.

Multi Location Hiring Of Various Type Of Vehicle On Monthly / Daily Basis For Ncrtc Delhi, India Bullet Train Tender

TENDER DETAILS Location Corrigendum : Dismantling Of Existing Structure In Row, Provision Of Centre Line Pillar, Row Pillar And Fencing Around Acquired Land In Thane District Within The Alignment From Ch 21.3 56 To Ch 46.6 Of Mahsr Of Nhsrcl Maharashtra, India

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Kerala, India

45 Road Regarding & Resurfacing Of Different Roads In Various Zones In Ahmedabad City 46 Across Metrol Rail Corridor Licensing Of Co-Branding Rights Of Selected Metro Stations Of Nagpur Metro Rail Project, 47 For A Period Of 05 Years Selection Of Insurance Company For Group Mediclaim And Group Personal Accident Policy For Employees Of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd Kmrl For The Proposed Policy Period 01-08-2020 To 48 31-07- 2021 Selection Of Insurance Company For Group Mediclaim Group Personal Accident Policy For Employees Of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd Kmrl For The Proposed Policy Period 01-08-2020 To 3149 07- 2021 Request For Proposal (Rfp) For Selection Of Insurance Company For Group Mediclaim & 50 Group Personal Accident Policy For Employees Of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (Kmrl), -

VALUE

27-07-2020 20-07-2020

20-07-2020 31-07-2020

24-07-2020

24-07-2020

8-6-2020

17-07-2020

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17-07-2020 17-07-2020 DEADLINE

Refer Documen

8-10-2020

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19-08-2020

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17-08-2020

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8-10-2020

VALUE

DEADLINE

2.69 CR.

30-07-2020

NEC, BRMINGHAM

11-13 MAY 2021

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