Trends in Technological Development of Suburban Rail in India
he electrification of Railway tracks and introduction of electric traction began on 3rd February 1925 in sections between Bombay VT (CSTM) and Coorla (Kurla) when the first EMU service with 4 cars was flagged off by Sir Leslie Wilson, the then Governor of Mumbai The first service ran from the then Bombay VT (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai) to Kurla on harbour line and later up to Pune and Igatpuri were electrified with 1500 Volt DC system This was followed by electrification with 1500 Volt DC in Chennai Beach Tambaram Section and 1500 Volt DC between Howrah and Ranigunj Commuter trains were introduced in these sections inform of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) for travel within the cities This system of electric traction continued for quite some time till Indian railways adopted 25 kV AC system of electrification in 1960s. Since then, these sub urban sections of Chennai and Kolkata were converted to 25 kV AC system and the Mumbai sub urban section was the last to be converted in the year 2015 Indian Railways operate 5500 EMU trains in various sub urban systems i e Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi & Secunderabad with ten million daily users
The Rolling Stock ( EMU) have undergone transformation over the years, starting with rheostatic control in 1925, tap changers and rectifier system in 1960s which remained as mainstay till the 3 phase propulsion system were adopted in the year 2000 for EMUs The first 1500V DC EMUs used around Bombay (the first EMUs in India, 1925) were from Cammell Laird (UK) (later Metro Cammell) and Uerdingenwagonfabrik (Germany) Later units were supplied by Breda (Italy) as well. Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co. supplied 24 trailer cars for WR, and 32 for CR in the early 1950s. In 1956 57, a few Hitachi and Nippon SSK WCU6 & WCU7, 1500V DC EMU rakes were put into service These early EMUs were all vacuum braked and in use until 1974 Later on units were manufactured by Jessoph, BEML and ICF In 1981, Indian
Morden Technology for EMUs in India
Debi Prasad Das
Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Indian Railways
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Railways contracted with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to develop energy efficient control systems for the Mumbai EMUs The BARC design included chopper (thyristor) control of the motor power supply instead of rheostatic control, thereby eliminating the energy wastage in the resistance grids The EMUs were also provided with the capability for regenerative braking to convert the kinetic energy of the rake back to electrical energy fed to the catenary during braking The first chopper rakes were introduced in 1993 By 1994, 5 such 'chopper rakes' were brought into service BARC claimed a savings of 25% in energy consumption (18% from elimination of rheostatic control and 7% from regenerative braking) This technology in EMUs in India faced with challenges of new generation AC DC EMUs ( with GTO and three phase drives) for the Mumbai which were to be introduced next. Further, with introduction of IGBT based 3 phase propulsion system since 2007, over 300 EMU trains (with
this technology) have been manufactured and are in service at various sub urban sections in India namely Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai and Secunderabad The technology up gradation of EMUs since 2007 also have added advantage of reduction in weight of the propulsion equipment, introduction of modern train control and management system (TCMS) This technology also provides lower net energy consumption due to the inherent feature of regenerative braking in these trains Further, long distance train sets also are designed on this platform to further enhance energy efficiency, comfort and high speed for inter city trains
Advantage of 3 phase propulsion system Generally, the Electrical Multiple Units for sub urban trains have distributed traction system, which has following merits (1) Effective use of regenerative brakes and blending
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of pneumatic brakes (2) Reduction in axle load (3) Effective use of space for passengers (4) Due to number of power axles, higher acceleration and de acceleration performances are feasible.
As a result of the distributed traction system provided in EMUs, improved train performance with higher acceleration and de acceleration, reduction in energy consumption and lesser impact on track can be achieved
With the introduction of induction motor drives, the maintenance issues on drives such as frequent replacement of parts, cleaning of commutators, etc., were completely avoided. Further, the introduction of PWM converter and inverter system, the resistors used in 1500 V DC EMU for control were no longer required
rive resulting in reduction in import of current from the catenary and also losses The re generative braking provided a full range of electrical braking up to very low speed of 10 kmph blended with pneumatic brake has enhanced energy efficiency Thus, the introduction of 3 phase propulsion had brought in overall improvement in the EMUs, traction control, weight of propulsion equipment, energy efficiency and lesser maintenance time
Arrival of GTO based propulsion system
With PWM converter inverter system, the power factor of the system can be controlled to 100% compared to 60 to 70% power factor achieved in 25 KV AC EMU with DC
In the year 1998, Mumbai sub urban section needed more efficient and reliable rolling stock, deploying latest technology to meet the growing demand of travel Accordingly, 3 phase VVVF control propulsion system was planned for 24 trains and two suppliers namely M/s Alstom and M/s BHEL (with TOT from Traxis, Nederlands) developed these propulsion system for Mumbai suburban EMUs with dual mode propulsion Between 2000 and 2006, the trains were built with GTO based 3 phase converter/inverter system and were introduced in Mumbai area With the introduction of 3 phase propulsion system, the Railways had the benefit of reduction in maintenance down time (due to the maintenance requirement of tap changer and DC traction motors requiring frequent attention in earlier version) and energy efficiency However, by the time this technology was introduced, the GTO technology was replaced world over by IGBTs These new semi conductors had promising advantage of easier turn off and turn on control The limited experience with the 3 phase propulsion system with GTO & associated advantages and issues, came handy for Indian Railways to adopt 3 phase propulsion system with IGBT based VVVF control system in next generation of EMUs
TYPE DC 25KV AC 25KvAC3Phase YEAR 1925 1962 2000 2007 2012 2018 Fleet Size All rakes retired 300 Rakes 24 Rakes 131 Rakes 100+76 Rakes 2+ 102Under manufacture Semiconductor x Diode GTO IGBT Control system Rheostatic Tap changer with rectifier PWM converter and inverter Cooling system Forced air cooling Liquid cooling Forced Air Cooling Liquid cooling (100 rakes) Forced air /liquidcooling Traction Motor D.C. Motor with suspension bearing 3 phase Induction motor with suspension tubearrangement 3 phase Fully suspended induction motor Electric Braking x x Regeneration Braking Table 1: Chronology of technological upgrade for suburban trains in India URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 202218 WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM FEATURED ARTICLE
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Adoption of IGBT based propulsion
The first such development of VVVF control in EMUs were envisaged in 2002 and the contract was placed on M/s Siemens India for design, supply and commissioning of propulsion system in the new trains to be built by Integral Coach Factory in 2004 After detail design, approval and acceptance, the manufacturing of these trains were commenced in the year 2007 and the first such train was rolled out as prototype in July 2007 This was followed by another prototype train and subsequently, a series of 131 trains were built in between 2007 and 2011 to augment the rolling stock in sub urban sections of both Central and Western Railways. In addition to the state of art propulsion adopted for the first time in EMUs in India, a number of modern features and passenger friendly interiors also had been provided There was a challenge to design EMU stock for sub urban travel and as Mumbai sub urban section faced with unprecedented traffic with super dense crush load up to 16 standing passengers per sq metre of floor space
and Ministry of Railways and added 90 kms of new section under MUTP I and another 190 kms under MUTP II MUTP II project also had the requirement of 72 rakes of modern rolling stock, in addition to tracks and other signaling infrastructure between the year 2011 and 2016 The next stage of modern rolling stock for Mumbai were developed and this time the contract for the supply of propulsion were placed on M/s Bombardier Transportation, India and Germany as a consortium for 72 trains Thus 200 new technology trains were introduced in Mumbai since 2007 2016 The new design of modern EMU stock also added number of features to overcome the limitations of the previous set up The system had introduced IGBT based propulsion control with Liquid Cooling Technology, efficient use of space and reduction in size and weight of the equipment further. Design of the train also added number of features to improve the rakes In post 2016, Mumbai had introduced all ACEMUs after complete switch over from 1500V DC traction to 25 kV AC system duly retiring all DC EMUs The process of such changeover was very complex as modification to the existing over head system, power supply system and also the rolling stock capable of running in both 1500 V AC and DC was challenging. As most of the works such as OHE are required to be done during block time, meticulous planning of such a massive project without interruption of sub urban service was a big challenge and this itself was a great success story that any railway men to learn
Passenger friendly features
About this time, metro systems in India at Delhi had introduced most modern rolling stocks for the first time in India in Sections of Delhi Metro. With the introduction of modern rolling stock, passenger friendly and upgraded interiors also had been the expectation of the commuters in Mumbai area Thus, the trains were for the first time, provided pleasing interior with relatively newer materials FRP, stainless steel fixtures & seats and larger windows for better views etc These trains were also provided with state of art technology of traction control system With these added features, the new rolling stock management system with intelligent computer driven propulsion control for achieving precise traction control and braking to enhance the safety of trains and passengers and passenger information and public address was received very well by Mumbai commuters in 2007
Mumbai Urban Transport Project had undertaken up gradation of Mumbai sub urban areas with the assistance of International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) and joint funding of Govt. of Maharashtra
The passenger amenities such as Passenger Information and display system, passenger and driver communication, CCTV cameras for monitoring safety of passengers and forced air ventilation have been also provided to have better travel experience The introduction of CCTV in the trains later has been a significant step in the direction of safety of passengers specially women commuters The passenger information and announcement system to alert the passengers for the next destination in very crowded trains were of great help to passengers In order to improve the comfort and reduce carbon dioxide levels inside the coaches, forced ventilation were also provided for the first time in these non AC trains in 2007 The studies indicated that in the Mumbai suburban trains the peak hour carbon dioxide concentration used to be close to 1500 ppm before introduction of forced ventilation in the trains However, these values measured to be below the threshold 700 ppm with 15000 cubic metre per hour forced ventilation in new technology trains The system of force ventilation was envisaged for the first time for such application in railways. In order to improve the maintainability interiors were designed with non corrosive materials and new materials such as FRP, polycarbonate and stainless steel
Train Control and Management System
In the three phase EMUs complete train control has been
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done through on board computer having a well established ECN/ETB network and sensors for data acquisition and control TCMS also integrates the task of fault diagnostics and display the same in addition to its control task. It is capable of real time monitoring of the status of all the vital equipment continuously and occurrence of faults and takes appropriate protective action and shut down the equipment whenever necessary In order to improve safety, the new generation trains have vital and safety related control & monitoring functions such as Emergency brake, Standstill detection, Vigilance control, Speed control, Roll back detection, Speed indication, Traction release, Smoke and Fire detection SIL2 Compliant.
Advantage of new design
The new technology for propulsion system deploying based PWM converter and 3 phase asynchronous traction motor have many added advantages The efficiency of the system is higher than 87% The system also offered regeneration during braking There have been further reduction in maintenance down time due to the new technology. In addition, the new design of propulsion system has offered lighter equipment used for power conversion i e , traction transformer, converter, traction motor etc , the details are tabulated in table 2
It can be seen that the weight of the major equipment have undergone downward change due to change of design The new design of transformers having higher capacity (by 25% higher) weighs less than 3 tons due to integrated design. The power density of transformer has also been 0.42 kva/kg compared to 0 29 kva/kg with DC propulsion system The specific power density of the asynchronous traction motors have been 0 15kw/kg in new EMUs compared to 0 09 kw/kg (dc motor drives)
The tap changer, switch group and rectifier together had a weight of 3 9 tons which is replaced by PWM converter weighing around 1 5tons with air cooling and 1300kg with liquid cooling The train weight per passenger works out to 220kg in the present design of SS coaches The EMUs have power intensity of 1 7kw/passenger (normal designed loading) for suburban trains and 8kw/passenger for long distance trains (Vande Bharat Express). Thus, the new design of propulsion system has brought down the weight of propulsion system considerably because of the higher power to weight ratio of traction motors , transformer and reduced weight of control equipment In addition to enhancing the efficiency of energy conversion (87%), lighter set of equipment provided more energy efficient operation The system also provided regenerative braking having 30% regeneration resulting in lower specific energy consumption (by 30% to 28.5 kwh/1000GTKM from 40 kwh/1000 GTKM with DC propulsion system)
AC EMU 1965 (9car) AC DC EMU 2000 (12car) AC/DC EMU 2007(12car) AC EMU 2013(12car) AC EMU 2015(12car) Train set 2018 (16car) Speed 80 kmph 100 kmph 100 kmph 110 kmph 110 kmph 160 kmph Propulsion with DC drives GTO with 3 phase drives IGBT based propulsion system with 3 phase drives Traction Motor drive (0.09kw/kg) (0.16kw/kg) (0.14kw/kg) (0.19kw/kg) (0.18kw/kg) (0.15kw/kg) Transformer (0.29KW/Kg) (0.43KW/Kg) (0.42KW/Kg) (0.40KW/Kg) (0.42KW/Kg) (0.57KW/Kg) Line and traction converter Tap changer /rectifier 3906 kg(0.17kw/kg) 1200 kw 2000kg (0.6kw/kg) 2 x 535 KW 2200 kg (0.48kw/kg) 2x535 kw 1350 kg (0.79kw/kg) 1300 KVA 1500 kg (0.86kw/kg) 2 x 455 KVA 2x775kg (0.58kw/kg) TCMS MVB MVB MVB/ECN/ETB ECN/ETB SEC(kwh / 1000 GTKM) 40 35 30 28.5 28.5 18.5 Data telemetry X X X Yes Yes Yes Table 2: Technical features of EMUs deployed in India URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 202222 WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM FEATURED ARTICLE
Indigenous Development
Since 2004 , the procurement of EMU propulsion system has been from sources, who have developed the technology with a condition for localisation of manufacturing in the country In 2009, the exercises of development of fully indigenous propulsion supplies were undertaken As such the first order was placed to indigenize the entire propulsion equipment within the country through TOT Though it took some time for successful development of 3 phase IGBT based propulsion system for EMUs, 12 such Air conditioned EMU trains were made for the first time and introduced in Mumbai since 2016. The successful development by indigenous suppliers since 2015 has also ensured the price stabilization of propulsion equipment and systems in addition to easier availability Benefits in terms of cost of propulsion equipment, the EMU trains and ease of availability of 3 phase propulsion equipment has been possible due to indigenisation
Proliferation of technology to other Metro Cities
With these developments of EMU for Mumbai sub urban system, the other sub urban sections of India also started looking for modern EMUs to replace their existing EMU stock, which are about to retire While the previous two projects, the design, development and supplies were made from Germany initially followed by the localization of supply of major equipment from subsidiaries of these companies in India, there was no major effort undertaken to indigenize the technology within the country till 2009. With Indigenisation efforts and make in India initiative a number of new designs have evolved in the country and this equipment are now sourced from within the country since 2015 By now, the Railways have introduced 300, 12 car wide body EMU rakes and 100, 8 car MEMU rakes with 3 phase IGBT based propulsion in various sub urban sections such as Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Secunderabad and in various railways respectively
With added advantage of energy efficiency and maintainability these new technology stocks have provided cost effective and efficient rail travel Since 2017 18, over 100 EMU trains have been manufactured and another 100 are under manufacture to meet the need of other metro cities.
Conclusion
The advancement of technology for propulsion have brought in higher efficiency, lower weight of equipment, 30 % regeneration, better maintainability , reduced downtime and higher availability of the EMUs The swift changeover to stainless steel car body, secondary air suspension in bogies and corrosion free interior also have resulted in enhanced life of the cars in addition to passenger comfort
The indigenisation of technology has enhanced availability of propulsion equipment at affordable and competitive cost and helped faster proliferation of technology Due to this energy efficiency, lighter equipment and the advanced design features the carbon foot print of suburban travel has also become lower. These AC EMU trains on an average reduce Carbon dioxide production by 1136 tons per annum per train(Mumbai operations) compared to the earlier EMUs with DC propulsion With further advancement in semiconductor devices the system will be more efficient and the trains will be more environmental friendly As time progresses, further reduction in size and weight of traction system can be achieved with the introduction of SiC devices for converter/ inverter and PM motors for traction, which will have positive environmental impacts. It is hoped that the development of new generation power devices, once fully operationalized will also pave the way for introduction in future EMUs and train sets in India
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Shri Sushil Kumar is a senior technocrat and the acting Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (UPMRC).
He joined UPMRC in 2015 and has contributed significantly to the metro rail operations in Lucknow and now in Kanpur as well.
Shri Sushil Kumar has about 28 years of experience working in senior positions in Indian Railways, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, and Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation.
Under his visionary leadership, the UPMRC is presently implementing the metro rail systems in Agra and Kanpur cities.
In a recent interaction with Urban Transport News, he frankly talked about his priorities and strategies to provide sustainable & smart public transportation systems for the people.
In today’s modern era, innovation is the need of the hour and adopting new technologies to complete the project within stipulated time frame with cost effectiveness yields desired results. We all should work together as a team to give our best performance while acknowledging the contributions of other engineers who working tirelessly in building a modern and developed India.
First, kindly accept our heartiest congratulations on taking charge of the acting managing director of India's one of prestigious and role modal metro authority Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC). You have been associated with the rail & Metro industry for more than 35 years, kindly share some information about your academic & professional journey?
Thank you for the good wishes. I would like to tell the readers that I am a graduate from IIT Roorkee & a postgraduate from IIT Delhi. Previously, I have served in Ministry of Railways as Director/Power and was a member to different committees in the fields of Energy Conservations, Energy Planning under different Ministries Before that, I served as Additional General Manager for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and helped in set up of state of the art maintenance facilities for maintenance and overhauling of trains. I hold expertise in project management, design specification, technical support, operations and maintenance in Indian Railways and urban transit & metros for Rolling Stock/Trains, Signalling, Traction Power System, and Telecommunication including operation
I have also worked as Chief Electrical Inspector General to Government of India besides working as National Project Director for UNDP project for Energy Conservation.
Before taking the responsibilities of Managing Director in
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UPMRC, I served as Director (Operations) and was responsible for day to day Operation & Maintenance activities
I have also received “National Award for Outstanding Service” from Ministry of Railways and Outstanding Performance Award for my services in DMRC
What is the current progress of remaining sections of Kanpur Metro? Is there any new innovation or technology being adopted to complete the project ahead of schedule?
The commercial run on the 9KMs long Priority Section (IIT Kanpur to Motijheel) of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project commenced on 29th December 2021 which was inaugurated by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi in the esteemed presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath on 28th December 2021 The Priority Section of Kanpur Metro has been completed and commissioned within a record time of 2 years & 1 5 months. This Priority Section is a part of Corridor I (IIT Naubasta), which is approx 23KMs long. Beyond the priority stretch, the construction is been executed on the whole remaining section of the corridor in phases for better efficiency and execution
A 4KMs long underground stretch is being constructed between Chunniganj and Nayaganj having 4 underground Metro Stations viz Chunniganj, Naveen Market, Bada Chauraha and Nayaganj. It is to be mentioned that this stretch is passing through the most important market and shopping places of the city
Two state of the art Tunnel Boring Machines ‘Nana’ and ‘Tatya’ have been launched for the tunnel construction under this section UPMRC has named these machines after the names of famous revolutionaries of the city; Nana Rao Peshwa and Tatya Tope
important places of the city including Kanpur Central Railway, Jhakarkatti, and Transport Nagar is being constructed Soon, the TBMs for this section will be launched from the Nayaganj And with this, there will be 4 TBMs working at the same time in the city
Construction works on the elevated balance section including 5 elevated stations stretching from Bara Devi to Naubasta have also been started
This parallel working strategy has been adopted to complete the corridor within the challenging deadline and UPMRC is leaving no stone unturned to repeat the history by completing the Kanpur Metro’s corridors on time UPMRC is also planning to float the tenders for the construction of 8 6KMs long Corridor II stretching between Chandra Shekhar Azad Agriculture University and Barra 8 with Rawatpur as the interchange point
For this remarkable fast pace of construction and world class infrastructure and aesthetic, many innovations laid the foundation that had been executed during the construction phase of Kanpur Metro Project’s Priority Section and among which ‘Double T Girder’ was a very noticeable one This happens to be the first time in India that a Double T girder was used for the construction of Metro Station’s concourse level base Not only this is an improved technique for the construction of the base of the concourse level as compared to the traditional shuttering method, but it also makes the concourse area look better in terms of aesthetics and design and above all saves time This innovation leads to the completion of construction of the base of the concourse levels of all the 9 Metro Stations of the Priority section in just 7 5 months
What is the current progress of the Agra Metro Rail project and when is the priority corridor of the project scheduled to be ready for the use of the public?
Beyond this stretch, the remaining 3KMs long UG section of the corridor I passing through the busiest and most
Agra Metro Rail Project, inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 7th December 2020 in Presence of
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(Kanpur Metro)
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath is being executed at a very fast pace by the team of UP Metro In a short span of around one year and 8 months, the entire piling work, pile cap work, erection of piers for the priority corridor, erection of all 144 Double T Girders for elevated stations in the priority corridor has been successfully completed The erection of U Girders is also going to be completed very soon Simultaneously, the construction work for underground stations is also being carried out at a fast pace
The finishing works of elevated metro stations of priority corridor have also reached an advanced stage, with systems and utilities work in place. The track work for the priority corridor commenced on 08th July 2022, in a record time
Similarly, plunge column work also began at Agra Fort Metro Station and set of the RSS (Receiving Sub Station) started at ISBT Metro Station
A world class metro depot is being constructed for the first corridor of Agra Metro Project, and the test track for trial run of the metro trains is also ready in the depot. Similarly, OCC building (Operations Control centre) is also coming into shape which will be equipped with highly advanced technology The signalling works have also begun and shunt signals are being installed inside the Agra Metro Depot Premises The entire metro operations on the first corridor of the Agra metro will be controlled from the depot
The Agra metro team is working diligently to deliver a world class metro to the people of Agra in time We hope to start the revenue operations on the priority corridor of Agra Metro by the beginning of the year 2024
UPMRC is executing underground metro sections for the first time in the state. Did you find any major engineering challenges in execution of underground corridors/stretches of Kanpur and Agra Metro? How are you dealing with these challenges to keep the construction activities smoothly?
As mentioned above also, in Agra, presently the underground section work is going on for 7 stations for the first corridor of Agra Metro Project The D wall work is presently underway for the underground stations of Agra Metro
The D wall can be understood as the boundary of a Metro Station. Before starting the construction of an Underground Metro Station, this wall is constructed as a security enclosure around it The D Wall will be constructed with the rectangular panels This wall will exist up to a depth of approximately 21 meters The D Wall gives strength to the under construction underground station walls and paves way for Tunnel Boring Machines
(TBM) to construct a tunnel for the underground section.
In all, Seven Metro Stations are to be built in the Underground Section for the first corridor of Agra Metro Rail Project, viz Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Jama Masjid, Medical College, Agra College, Raja Ki Mandi and RBS College
It is to be noted that the underground stations of Agra Metro will also be prepared with the Top Down Method i e construction work will be done from top to bottom This system is being adopted to minimize the impact on traffic as the barricading on the road will be reduced after the construction of the first floor starting from the road level The construction work of the station below the road will continue and the movement of vehicles on the road will also continue smoothly eventually
Is there any new update on the proposed Charbagh Vasantkunj Metro Corridor 2 of Lucknow Metro Rail Project? Kindly also share some new updates on the proposed Light Rail Transit System in Gorakhpur and some salient features of the project.
UPMRC has revised the DPR of the East West Corridor of Lucknow Metro Rail Project i e proposed between Charbagh and Vasant Kunj as per the directions of the government. The revised and updated DPR has has been submitted to Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP). The total route length of the corridor will be 11 165 km of which elevated length will be 4 286 km while underground length will be 6 879 km The total number of stations in this corridor will be 12 comprising 7 underground and 5 elevated stations The estimated time of completion is 5 years
The Depot of this corridor will be constructed at Vasant Kunj. The estimated capital cost without taxes for constructing this 11 165 km long corridor in February 2019 was Rs 3786 crores which has escalated to Rs 4264 89 crores The change in cost is in sync with the current infla
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(Agra Metro Depot)
tion rate as per government guidelines
DPR has been also upgraded with 750 DC traction system which is being followed in Kanpur & Agra Metro project mainly due to severe OHE flashing problem occurring as a result of metallic wire in kites being faced in Lucknow Metro project
The 15 14 km long corridor of Gorakhpur Metro Lite Rail Project (Shyam Nagar to MMM Engineering College) has also got approval from Public Investment Board (PIB) on 22nd November 2021 at an estimated completion cost of 2670.37 Crore.
UPMRC recently signed a prestigious contract with DB International Operations (a subsidiary company of Deutsche Bahn AG) to train their engineers for providing operation & maintenance services to India's first RRTS project. Kindly share some insights on this new achievement?
UPMRC has started training of newly recruited staff of German Rail company DB ie Deutsche Bahn at the training institute (CoET) of Transport Nagar Depot In the ultra modern training Institute of Lucknow training is being provided to a batch of 150 trainees of Train Operator
(SCTO) and Maintainer staff of DB In 90 days of training, these trainees will learn the nuances of train operation and maintenance.
German Rail Company 'DB' had earlier come to India and surveyed the training institutes of various metro and rail projects to train its newly recruited staff DB studied the efficiency of the employees who got training from the training institute of UPMRC and also tested world class facilities of the training institute After which the Centre for Excellence of Training (COET) of UP Metro was selected for its newly recruited staff. The Training Institute of UPMRC is equipped with ultra modern facilities amongst the Metro Rail
Training Institutes across the country. So far more than 1100 trainees have received technical training in Metro Rail Operation and Maintenance from this training institute
The training institute of UP Metro has set world class standards of training today For the successful conduct of metro operations in Lucknow and Kanpur, the training of technical staff was done in CoET itself Today all those employees are making us proud by achieving excellence in their respective fields. It is certainly a proud moment for us that we are also providing training in the field of train operation and passenger services to the personnel of reputed foreign railway institutes like German Rail Company which is a commendable achievement in itself
(Lucknow Metro Route Map)
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It may be noted that DB, i e Deutsche Bahn will deploy these trainees for the RRTS project to be operated between Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut.
Is UPMRC also developing any training institute/academy in line with DMRC to provide world-class training and develop new manpower for the upcoming metro rail projects in India?
UPMRC has already set up a training facility/institute at Transport Nagar Metro Depot in Lucknow which provides training to newly recruited staff & trainees before handing them the charge of their work, duties and responsibilities in their respective fields The training institute is named as Centre of Excellence for Training (CoET) which has successfully imparting both technical and professional training for 4 years now. It has world class infrastructure and state of
the art facilities to cater to the needs and requirements of the professional/technical training and has been grooming young minds in developing man power for the upcoming Metro projects of Kanpur & Agra
Recently, UPMRC also provided train operations training to the employees of German Rail Company, DB (Deutsche Bahn) German Rail Company 'DB' had earlier come to India and surveyed the training institutes of various metro and rail projects to train its newly recruited staff. The DB studied the efficiency of the employees who got training from the training institute of UPMRC and also tested world class facilities of the training institute After which the Centre for Excellence of Training (CoET) of UP Metro was selected for its newly recruited staff It may be noted that DB ie Deutsche Bahn will deploy these trainees for the RRTS project to be operated between Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut.
What is your message for young engineers and metro professionals on this Engineers Day?
First of all, I would like to share with you the significance of Engineer’s Day with you The birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya which falls on 15th September is celebrated as Engineer's Day every year. This day is celebrated in recognition of his significant contribution in the field of engineering and education He is also considered among the greatest nation builders who have been instrumental in carrying out several architectural marvels like Krishna Sagar dam in Karnataka & flood protection system of Hyderabad
As an engineer and a metro professional, I urge them to
take inspiration from this legendary engineer and put their heart and soul while working in the field of construction and architecture Every individual should remain motivated and work hard with perseverance to achieve his/her target and should inspire others to innovate in the field of engineering and technology In today’s modern era, innovation is the need of the hour and adopting new technologies to complete the project within stipulated time frame with cost effectiveness yields desired results. We all should work together as a team to give our best performance while acknowledging the contributions of other engineers who working tirelessly in building a modern and developed India
Anything else, you want to share with us in respect to the contents being served by our publications Metro Rail Today and Urban Transport Infrastructure?
The contents of the publication Metro Rail Today and Urban Transport Infrastructure are very informative and illustrative covering all the genres and aspects of Railways and Metro Rail industry It also comprehensively highlights the innovations and latest developments in the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) sector The journals also incorporate the latest technologies and latest forms & evolution in modes of Mass Transit at both national level and international level. It is a great platform to share information, views and ideas with other technocrats thereby enhancing our reach & scope while providing new avenues & opportunities in Research & Development (R&D)
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INTERVIEW
URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 202228 WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM
NOV. 7, 2022 | INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE | NEW DELHI PRESENTS Launching Special Coffee Table Book A MEGA CORPORATE EVENT FOR RAILWAYS, METRO, URBAN MOBILITY & INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY BUSINESS SUMMIT AND AWARDS 2022 URBAN INFRA COMMUNICATION PVT. LTD. (An Infra PR, Media & Research Company) 101, Khudi Ram Bose Marg, Mayur Vihar Phase 1, New Delhi 110091, India Tel: 011 42484505, 9716454505, 9343558967 Email: admin@urbaninfragroup.com CIN: U92140DL2022PTC392284 Host Information: Media Associates Supported by: PR Partner: www.urbaninfragroup.com
With the economy recovering and businesses back to normal, we at Urban Infra Group are happy to announce the revised dates of the 2nd edition of Urban Infra Business Summit & Awards 2022 The event is now scheduled on 7th November 2022 at India International Centre, New Delhi, India It is specially designed for the Railways, Metro, Transportation and Urban Infrastructure sectors and celebrating 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence with the Industry
Under the Urban Infra Business Leadership Awards 2022, we will honour and recognize industry leaders (individuals and corporates) for their extraordinary contribution in developing major infrastructure projects in country through their innovative ideas, products, and services
The entire program will be hosted by Urban Infra Group (Urban Infra Communication Pvt. Ltd., Urban Transport News & Metro Rail Today) in association with leading industry players engaged in developing India’s Urban Infrastructure The Urban Infra Group is working in the field of PR, Media, Research & Advertising since 2017 and is sole publisher of two leading B2B magazines Urban Transport Infrastructure and Metro Rail Today. Its magazines have over 10 millions readership worldwide and gained trust in the Industry as best referral publications for authentic & up to date project information, data analysis, market research and strategy formulation
Working closely with government bodies, transport planning departments, planning commissions, policy makers, private companies, regulators, social enterprises and corporate/trade associations, our experience has seen us assemble wide ranging coalitions and position our clients at the forefront of the debate, protecting them in times of crisis, raising their profile and helping them enter new markets
We know that industry
infrastructure sectors need to establish
that stand the test of time This
leaders in the railways, transportation and urban
and maintain close, effective relationships with stakeholders, policy makers and passengers
event will certainly help them to achieve their goals effectively DELEGATES PROFILE Ministries/Govt. Department Railway Authorities/Boards High Speed Rail Authorities Metro Rail Authorities Rail Operators Station Development First & Last Mile Service Providers Railway Freight & Logistics Operators Architects, City/Town Planners Policy Makers/Regulators PPP Units & Financing Bodies Development Agencies Consultants/Transport Planners Contractors/Infrastructure Developers R&D Organizations OEMs, Suppliers & Allied Industry WHY PARTICPATE? Recognition: Our award program will help you to get name & fame and high level visibility in the Industry for your innovative ideas, products & solutions Presentation: An opportunity to present your Ideas, Innovation and latest offering to the entire audience. You can either present a 15 20 minute keynote with the case study presentation or a 5 minute elevator pitch Business Showcasing: The summit gives you the opportunity to display your wide range of latest innovation products and services to Corporate level executives and relevant buyers. Panel Discussions: Interactive panel discussions with expert opinions to address the most critical challenges facing the industry Networking: 5 star luncheons and breakfast provides a perfect setting for meeting and networking with the who’s who of the rail, metro, urban infrastructure & mobility industries ecosystem KEY DATES Closing of Nominations for Awards25 SEP Announcement of Awardees02 OCT Closing of Delegate Registration15 OCT Award Ceremony07 NOV 2022
Time Programme 09.15AM 09.45AM Visitor Registration Session 1 Welcome & Inauguration 09.46AM 10.15AM Inauguration and Key Note by Guest of Honor/Chief Guests 10.16AM 10.30AM Speech on Transport & Climate Change Perspectives from India By Smt. Karuna Gopal, President Foundation of Futuristic Cities Session 2 Presentation 10.31AM 10.45AM India@75: Progress of Urban Rail & Metro sectors in India An overview By Metro Rail Today Session 3 Panel Discussion 10.46AM 11.30AM Implementation of major urban infrastructure projects in India Challenges & Solutions (Participants: Mix of leaders from Govt./PSU (Metro Authorities/Transit Operators and Private Players) 11.31AM 11.45AM TEA & NETWORKING BREAK Session 4 Presentation 11.46AM 12.00PM Modernisation of Indian Railway Stations A big opportunity for Investors By RLDA, Ministry of Railways Session 5 Panel Discussions 12.01PM 12.45PM Investment, Financing and Business Avenues in Urban Railways, Infrastructure and Mobility Industry in India (Participants: Mix of leaders from Rail & Metro Authorities, Investors and Financing Bodies) Session 6 Presentation 12.46PM 01.00PM Multi modal Integration: An ultimate solution for sustainable transportation systems By NCRTC Session 7 Panel Discussions 01.01PM 01.45PM Rolling Stock & Systems: Emerging business opportunities in India (Participants: Mix of Rail & Metro Authorities, Rolling Stock & Systems Solution Providers) Session 8 Presentation 01.46 02.00PM Session reserved for key opinion leaders/private players/lead sponsors 02.01PM 02.30PM LUNCH & NETWORKING BREAK Session 9 Award Ceremony 02.31PM 04.15PM Launching of Special Coffee Table Book and felicitate awards to Industry Leaders 04.16PM 04.25PM TEA & NETWORKING BREAK 04.26PM 04.30PM Vote of Thanks & Conclusion #URBANINFRA2022: PROGRAMME SCHEDULE Date: 7th November 2022 (Monday) Timings: 09.15AM 04.30PM (IST) Venue: India International Centre, New Delhi Country: India *This is tentative program schedule. The final version will be shared in due course of time.
SPONSORSHIP, BRANDING & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Deliverables Lead Sponsors 3.0L (Max. 2) Gold Sponsors 2.0L (Max. 3) Silver Sponsors 1.0L (Max. 5) Corporate Logo on Backdrops Yes Yes Yes Corporate Logo on promotional materials/Media Kit Yes Yes Yes Corporate Logo on Trophy/Certificates Yes No No Special press release (welcoming sponsor) Yes No No One Full Page Advertisement in Coffee Table Book Yes (Premium) Yes (Non premium) Yes (Non premium) Speaking Slot during Event Yes (15 20 min.) Yes (10 15 min.) Yes (7 10 min.) Complimentary Delegate Passes 10 7 5 Interview coverage in our B2B magazines Yes Yes No Deliverables Certificate Sponsor 75K (Max. 3) Trophy Sponsors 75K (Max. 2) Media Partners Corporate Logo on Backdrops Yes Yes Yes Corporate Logo on promotional materials/Media Kit Yes Yes Yes Corporate Logo on Trophy/Certificates Yes (Certificate) Yes (Trophy) No Special press release (welcoming sponsor) No No No One Full Page Advertisement in Coffee Table Book Yes (Non premium) Yes (Non premium) Yes (Non premium) Participation in Panel Discussion Yes Yes No Complimentary Delegate Passes 2 2 2 Interview coverage in our B2B magazines No No No Sponsorship Options & Benefits Advertising Options: Print/Digital Advertisement Ad Position Rate Full page premium positions in Coffee Table Book (except Top Cover): INR35K+GST (USD700, EUR650) Full page non premium positions in Coffee Table Book (between contents): INR20K+GST (USD400, EUR350) Digital & Print Advertising in Metro Rail Today Magazine/News Portal As per Rate Card Digital & Print Advertising in Urban Transport Magazine/News Portal As per Rate Card Networking Options: Delegate Passes No. of Registrations Rate One Registration INR10K+GST Three to Five Registrations from the same organization INR7.5K+GST More than Five Registrations from the same organization INR5K+GST Contact for Nominations, Sponsorship, Speaking, Advertising & Delegate Registration: **GST 5% on Print Ad, 18% on Sponsorship Package & Delegate Registrations Mr. Vinod Shah Director Corporate Business T: +91 9716454505 E: admin@urbaninfragroup.com Ms. Khushboo Parveen Marketing & Interface Officer T: +91 9343558967 E: growbiz@urbantransportnews.com Ms. Himani Gupta Vice President Marketing T: +91 9319930508 E: bd@urbaningfragroup.com
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A transformation in the dynamics of global urban mobility is primarily user centred Some major changes to how people move around in cities are already under way, but the trend will accelerate further in the next decade, with electrification, autonomous driving, smart and connected infrastructure, modal diversity, and mobility that is integrated, resilient, shared, and sustainable powered by disruptive business models. In response to an ESI Thoughtlab survey, 54 per cent of city leaders admitted that they will rethink mobility and transportation in the aftermath of the COVID 19 pandemic
Less need to travel
It is expected that in general people will travel less than in the past With new urban planning concepts such as the ‘15 minute city’ promoting compact environments, ‘connected corridors’, and changes in the way that people work, movements within town will decrease substantially. As Jeff Merritt puts it, “That's the future, its lots of options and hopefully less travel every day ” Bicycles, scooters and even walking
increasingly be the preferred options in community neighbourhoods From Bucharest to Brussels, and from Lisbon to Lyon, the coronavirus pandemic has triggered unprecedented investment in cycling around
will
C ities are working towards offering digital, clean, intelligent, autonomous and intermodal mobility, with more walking and cycling spaces, where transport is commonly provided as a service This is one area where cities should expect huge disruption. Are you ready for robot taxis? For passenger drones flying in the sky? For tunnels under cities? To give up on your car, and embrace transportation as a service? What implications will this have for your urban environment? Mobility: Intelligent, Sustainable & As-aservice Deloitte URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 202234 WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM FEATURED ARTICLE
Europe More than EUR 1 billion has been spent on cycling related infrastructure and 2,300 kilometres (1,400 miles) of new bike lanes were rolled out between the beginning of the pandemic and October 2020
Electrification
It is estimated that in 2030, electric vehicles (EVs) will have around 32 per cent of the total market share for new car sales globally But there will be differences between regions For example Deloitte projections suggest that in 2035, vehicles not powered by internal combustion engines will make up more than 80 per cent of new vehicle sales in China but less than 50 per cent in the USA and between 35 and 55 per cent in Europe, depending on the scenario
Connectivity and automation
Recent Deloitte research in the United States estimates that by 2040 up to 80 per cent of passenger miles travelled in urban areas could be in shared autonomous vehicles This development will be led by major technology based corporations or the automotive and transport sector and by technology based start ups Solutions such as passenger drones by Ehang and drone delivery by Amazon are
making rapid advances Connectivity and automation will transform the mobility not only of people but also of goods, as logistics companies increasingly use autonomous technology to meet the rising demand for goods A Deloitte article on autonomous trucks mentions that eight start ups have raised a collective EUR 1.2 billion for self driving trucking initiatives, in a move that could revolutionise logistics
Sharing
Cities will also benefit from an increase in on demand multimodal mobility and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms, such as in Helsinki For instance, residents will be able to plan and book door to door trips digitally, use the same travel card for all transport modes, and have access to automated last mile cargo shipment services and end to end real time visibility of freight in transit, with seamless payment models According to Deloitte projections, by 2025 shared driver driven vehicles will account for more than 10 per cent of miles travelled in the United States A study in 167 cities states that investments in real time public transportation apps and MaaS apps generate high returns as smart transport systems can help to reduce unnecessary trips and create asset efficiencies. MaaS and Mobility on Demand will also affect corporate mobility Why not to offer mobility packages to employees instead of a car as part of their benefits package?
Intelligent mobility
With data playing a central role in some of these shifts, customised travel is something that cities will start to deliver with convergence between all aspects of infrastructure, policy and technology powering the new era of ‘intelligent’ mobility The value of this mobility is forecast to grow to EUR 850 billion by 2025, representing more than one per cent of global GDP Huge amounts of data open up opportunities for a flexible mobile ecosystem with the capacity to make available solutions that are adaptable and capable of meeting the needs of different segments of the population, such as children, elderly people, families with children, and tourists. Just like any company that wishes to operate in a particular market, cities will segment their customers (citizens) in a mobility context and implement strategies for each market segment These drivers apply to the transportation of both passengers and goods, and will change the urban landscape Sustainable, smart and resilient mobility is also a pillar of the European Commission Urban Mobility Strategy released in December 2020. This document states that in order to achieve a 90 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 2050, it will be necessary to prioritise the optimal utilisation of data, a deployment of automated mobility on a large scale, and integrated mobility solutions such as connected electronics for multimodal transport
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Why is sustainable and smart urban mobility relevant for cities?
Innovative urban mobility and planning solutions help to create a convenient, connected, user friendly, and sustainable future
Improves quality of living and reduces impact on the environment: New mobility models, particularly non motorised, are being used extensively as a consequence of COVID 19 Cities such as Bogota, Paris, Jakarta, Sydney and Los Angeles created more cycling lanes and walkways in 2020 to provide physically distant travelling when public transport was most affected. A C40 study highlighted that enabling next generation mobility (electric vehicles) can reduce emissions by 10 to 25 per cent
Reduces congestion and air pollution: A recent study led by ESI ThoughtLab found that smart urban mobility solutions can help cities tackle the problem of traffic congestion The INRIX 2020 Global Traffic Score Card cited Bogota as the city most affected by traffic congestion, with drivers losing 133 hours per annum. Investment in tech enabled mobility solutions should therefore be a priority Ride sharing, combined with a reduction in the number of private cars on the roads, will also contribute to a reduction in congestion as well as in air pollution and noise
Enhances convenience for travellers: Smart safe mobility solutions provide highly data powered integrated and automated offerings that deliver a better experience for citizens This also creates a need for intelligent safe mobility features that safeguard users' data
Saves lives and reduces the number of accidents: Around 1 35 million people die in road accidents each year, with an average of 3,700 deaths each day Low income countries have less than one per cent of the world’s vehicles but 13 per cent of all deaths. Changes in mobility will reduce the number of deaths.
Fosters a better use of public space: A reduction in the number of rides leads to fewer vehicles on the road and fewer parking spaces This enables a better use of public space, as it frees up areas for social interaction
How to ensure a successful implementation?
Some critical factors must be taken into account to ensure a successful transition.
Approach: Cities should aim to embrace a holistic approach It is important to understand the total mobility mix and find ways to manage the entire transport system which is broader than what cities and metropolitan areas are used to In addition, in order to organise the supply side
to fulfil the demand for ’smart mobility’, cities should start small to drive the transition, starting with a minimal viable ecosystem (involving or being led by private sector players) and then adding additional features over time, in an agile approach
Infrastructure: Invest in infrastructure physical, energy, digital and telecoms that supports effective transformation Due to the needed investment (in innovation and technology development, and also in physical and technological infrastructures), technology based solutions will have a bigger impact in developed economies Investment will define the leaders and the followers Additionally, it is important to ensure that investment covers all segments of the population, so that mobility does not create exclusion
Vehicles: A new generation of vehicles is needed for example robots for the last mile, drones, flying taxis, autonomous trucks, or even the hyperloop. In addition, there should be a resurgence in the use of some existing vehicles, such as motorbikes and bicycles, and a strong focus on micro mobility
Mobility management: Two key elements are the management of assets (infrastructure and vehicles) and management of users / clients (interface with clients, client data and information management), given the citizen centric approach of the future of mobility.
Policies and regulation (governance): Regulation must adapt to the new circumstances These should cover vehicle security and liability in cases of accidents, data management and privacy, interoperability, connectivity, risk and responsibility and cybersecurity
Where to see this in action?
Los Angeles, USA
Los Angeles is working towards implementing sustainable
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and smart mobility solutions
The city aims to reduce air pollution by accelerating the electrification of transport
According to a recent study, LA accounts for about half the electric vehicles in the United States and has committed to having five million electric vehicles by 2030
mobility, particularly in its public transport system In 2017 Shenzhen became the first city in the world to electrify all public (16,000+) buses with a view to cutting emissions, reducing noise pollution, and improving air quality.
The impact of this switch became evident in 2018, when the city recorded some of the cleanest air among all Chinese cities The average amount of fine particles (PM2 5) in the air throughout 2018 dropped to 26 micrograms per cubic metre, one of the lowest levels in 15 years
Further building on its aim to boost sustainable mobility, the city announced in January 2019 that 99 per cent of its entire taxi fleet (over 21,000 vehicles) was now electric powered
The city continues to see an increase in investment by EV car manufacturers For instance, in May 2020 Volkswagen announced plans to build a new factory near Shenzhen
LA’s urban mobility plan has a focus on improving the accessibility and environmental friendliness of its public transport system LA has introduced CNG buses, and in July 2020 deployed the first of 40 zero emission electric buses on its orange rapid line The entire LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) bus fleet is expected to be electric by 2030
With a target to improve the air quality further, LA launched a Zero Emission 2028 Road Map 2.0 in 2019. The initiative involves advisory partners such as BMW, Tesla, Greenlabs, CSUN, Itron, PCS Energy, and others
“We are committed to help the Greater LA region go further, faster That's why we are moving toward an additional 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through accelerating transportation electrification by the time the world arrives in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
The Transportation Electrification Partnership’s Leadership Group
Although not exclusively the result of mobility initiatives, studies show a drop in air pollution in LA by 10 6 per cent between 2017 and 2018, and by another 11 8 per cent between 2018 and 2019
In December 2020, the city launched an urban air mobility programme to analyse the issues identified by diverse local stakeholders in the public air space and property rights. The programme is likely to support the development of solutions to build and integrate a community centred aerial mobility technology with its other multimodal platforms
Shenzhen, China
Shenzhen has been a frontrunner in switching to electric
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has been one of the frontrunners in establishing a strong urban mobility infrastructure with a focus on non motorised transport
According to 2020 data, 45 per cent of the city’s inhabitants commuted by bike, travelling around 1 4 million kilometres every day The city is also the home of the world’s busiest cycle path with around 40,000 cyclists a day.
A focus on urban mobility solutions has helped Copenhagen to provide affordable mobility to its citizens For instance the cost of public transport is just 1 83 per cent of average monthly income Furthermore, 100 per cent of the city's metro rail system is automated to level 3 or 4 of Grade of Automation as defined by the IEC 62290 1 standard, making it one of the leading cities for new technology adoption and changing mobility infrastructure
Smart and sustainable mobility initiatives are part of the plan to become a carbon neutral city by 2025
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In conversation with
Katja Diehl
Author & Mobility Expert
Germany
Katja Diehl has more than 20years of experience and insights in mobility and logistics. She is a communications and management consultant with a focus on mobility, new work and diversity In 2019, she was one of the “25Top Voices at LinkedIn” and one of the “100women leaders in the mobility industry” Katja Diehl is also one of the “Remarkable Women in European Transport 2020” .
After graduating from high school in Lingen, Katja Diehl first studied literature at the University of Osnabrück from 1994 to 2000and then completed a traineeship at the press office of Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. From 2007 to 2008 she attended the German Academy for Public Relations in Frankfurt, where she successfully completed her training as a PR consultant. From 2013to 2016, she participated in the Marketing Executive Program at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster, where she earned her Executive MBA
After starting her career as a journalist and press spokeswoman as well as working in management positions for companies in the logistics and mobility industry, Katja Diehl has become self employed in 2018 as a communications and management consultant, advising companies and start ups on their brand communication and positioning
She is Brand Ambassador for technology and consulting companies for digital on demand solutions door2door With #SheDrivesMobility Katja Diehl is hosting a podcast that combines the topics of mobility change, diversity and new forms of work On the federal board of the Verkehrsclub Deutschland e. V. (VCD) she is responsible for the topics Mobility 2050, Mobility Change through Mindset Change as well as press and public relations Furthermore, she is a mentor at MentorMe and Yoldas, a project of the Bürgerstiftung Hamburg
Katja Diehl holds keynotes, moderates events and workshops and is a consultant on corporate influencing and personal branding
We remain committed to being carbon neutral by 2039. We have also been awarded the Green Factory Platinum Certification for our 75 year old manufacturing plant in Jaipur. IGBC gave our plant the highest level of rating for the best in class sustainability practices. “ INTERVIEW URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SEPTEMBER 202240 WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM
Katja Diehl’s view on mobility is slowly making headlines in her native Germany. For her mobility is about inclusion and putting people first. “Mobility is about making cities livable again ”
You just published the book Korrektur: Mobilität für eine lebenswerte Welt. Tell me about it.
For my book I interviewed sixty people who live without a driver's license and who all have different reasons to not own a car. Here are the stories of people who are already left behind and we don’t give them a solution for better mobility
Is your book only focusing on a margin group?
I start my book covering the period after the Second World War, where everything in Germany was destroyed and we started building the mass transport system based on cars and creating car centric cities. Then I explore the way we have built cities in Germany and how we have arranged the rural areas I interview people in the margins of society like transgenders for example and want to know if they want to drive a car or do they feel forced to drive a car? Nearly everyone I asked that question has never really thought about it that way, but when it really sinks in they feel they are forced to drive a car They’d rather not drive a car and instead spend their money for example on better food for their families. They also think the time spent in their car is too valuable because they can’t do anything else when they drive a car I try to offer solutions to this problem and hopefully this kind of storytelling will help people to see that we are approaching mobility the wrong way
What way is that?
I think people in Germany really believe in cars. There is a strong industry and lobby group behind it and there really is a Marlboro Man behavior that goes with it. The problem is when this industry is cutting down everything, we will lose the only thing we have in Germany We are a country of writers and thinkers but currently it is all about the car industry I am trying to open a door to show people how toxic the focus on cars actually is We are totally dependent on cars at the moment
What would the solution be?
For me it is the fifteen minute city It would be perfect to have everything nearby and accessible by bicycle, even in the rural areas So, create areas in the city where you can party, and part of the city for amusement, shopping and work I live in Hamburg and we really have this homogeneous approach Let’s cut down the huge amount of kilometers people have to travel to either get to work or do some shopping. The COVID crisis had been good in the aspect that people started working from home a lot and
there was not a huge need to travel. With the pandemic ending, companies want their workforce to return to the office The people I spoke to are not willing to spend hours a day commuting to work and are now trying to find a job where money is not the sole motivator to work, but the chance to work from home or even remote is what matters more
Why do we need a radical shift in thinking about mobility?
Well we lose so much time at the moment and we seem to be extremely addicted to cars It is like a drug addiction Everything is built around owning a car If people lose their job or get in financial stress they can’t get around anymore and they lose their mobility In Germany it is totally normal to have a car and if you don’t, you are being frowned upon. For some minority groups the car is also their safe space.
What do you mean?
I talked to a trans person and she was beaten up when she took the bus She also said she really likes to get the train but this can also be a scary experience after certain hours Her solution was really simple Why not have a system where you can let people know after certain hours there are friendly people in the train you can sit with? This is not about digitisation but about human centric behavior. It is so much easier to find a good solution to a problem by putting people center stage when trying to come up with a solution
Can you elaborate further on the human approach of mobility?
Maybe cars are avoiding machines. Avoiding getting together with other people and avoiding buses. I think people who have a comfortable lifestyle can’t imagine how much problems around mobility there are for other people We need to regain our streets, there really is a clear business case behind it In London for example they found out when they gave streets back to cyclists and pedestrians, the local businesses had a forty percent bigger turnover Because people were walking and cycling and looking around. This doesn’t happen when driving a car because your sole focus is to get somewhere else. I think there is a thin layer we call the change of mobility, but there are bigger social problems underneath
Such as?
I think you are a racist when you don’t understand why people don’t get a bus at midnight We have to build a barrier free system so we take into consideration the elderly, pregnant women, people with a handicap. When you focus on the minority you always give something back
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for the majority. I have a friend for example who cannot stand longer than one and a half minute because of a back injury. He takes the car because there is no bench for him to sit on at his bus stop
So we must look at mobility problems more as an individual than as a collective?
Maybe the individuals don’t see each other as a collective Maybe they all have different lifestyles and other issues but the problem they address on mobility might be the same. For example, I would never board an autonomous shuttle with sixteen strangers if I don’t know who they are You can’t digitize the need for safety We need to build a system that cares for each other and that fits maybe ninety percent of the population I can’t stand injustice I hate it when people are not treated equally
In my Twitter channel people always tell me to write more about mobility not about sexism and racism. But why not? We can’t change mobility if we are not willing to look at changing all the isms My approach in the mobility domain is about changing behavior You need to get in people’s heads to change their approach towards changing mobility We don’t act as humans when driving a car, because we are killing each other If Deutsche Bahn would kill eight people a day we would not run this system at all, but for cars this seems to be totally normal Why?
What other solutions are needed?
We need to look at mobility differently Diversity really matters here So when coming up with a solution think about people in a wheelchair, trans people or other blind spots you might have Take that into your equation to come up with a mobility solution This also means we need to have a better mix of people at government level and not just all white middle aged men.
What could Germany learn from other countries in the world?
In Austria they measure big infrastructure projects against the Paris agreement The question they ask is if they are fulfilling the agreements when they start such projects In other words, will this project mean a temperature rise of 1,7 degrees? If so, we have to decide to cancel the project or otherwise compensate for it. In Austria they are cutting down on building highways and tunnels because they are saying there will be less cars in the future So why do these big infrastructure projects? In Germany we look at Austria and the narrative here is that Austria is such a small place, so they can do these things easier We don’t even look at taking the first step
Where lies your main priority?
For me it is the injustice of the mobility system It is letting
marginalized people in society down. We are so focused on having technology solve our problems and I am saying no to that. We need to look at climate justice, which is also some sort of social justice Because poor people mostly live in places with high congestion So the approach should be to look at cutting down on cars and to regain space for people In Vienna for example they took the streets away from the cars and gave it back to the people who live in minority quarters It is about making cities liveable again ”
The car industry will claim pollution will be something of the past, because we will all be driving electric cars soon.
“That’s a lie They are liars Because it is only solving the local emission It is not addressing global emission They are still using resources in other places in the world and there will still be pollution there And let’s not forget about the space cars take up in the public domain. People keep telling me to move to a rural area if I have such problems with cars. But the problems in the rural areas are the same. You are totally stuck in rural areas if you don’t have a car It is even worse than in the city ”
What would your ideal city look like?
“Look at what they are doing in Paris and Barcelona, they are regaining neighborhoods and connecting people with each other and that’s a good thing because it feels safe. The pandemic for example has been a good thing for the neighborhood I live in, because people were hanging out on their balconies and really started to connect again They connected with their neighbors, but also with the small businesses in our neighborhood We must also offer a good bicycle system, so there is no need to take the car in cities and rural areas ”
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