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We are aiming for exponential growth, and we strive towards constructive and sustainable development: Sourajit Mukherjee, CEO, e2E Rail

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Sourajit Mukherjee is a source of inspiration to an innumerable number of youth who want to succeed in their career and find an identity in the professional world after their education and learning. An engineering graduate and a post-graduate in business administration, Sourajit today is leading one of the fastest-growing railway infrastructure companies in India, e2E rail, as its Chief Executive Officer.

Sourajit, while talking to our Managing Editor Mr. Narendra Shah explicitly shared his views on various issues related to Urban Transport system in India, MRTS, Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan with an unambiguous and insightful view on the policies and plans of the present government towards growth and development of transport system in the country and strengthening the infrastructure.

The young technocrat has also been one of the key speakers in virtual tech forum InnoMetro – 2021 for a global discussion on MRTS, Urban Transport and tech Industry held by Symbroj Media Pvt. Ltd.

Below are the excerpts of the interview :

Q.1 (NS): At a young age, you have been on a number of important positions in different organizations of repute. How does it feel to be the CEO of e2E Rail?

Ans (SM): We are going through extremely unprecedented times. The world has turned upside down right now. Still, we are carrying on, each one of us are trying our best to keep the ball rolling, the industry is helping, the entire government machinery, and all of us are also trying to support.

However even during this challenging times, I appreciate the endeavour and the hard work done by your team in delivering positive and industrious news about the railway fraternity, assembling the stakeholders in such a wonderful forum like Inno Metro , and carrying out the railway journalism which can work as great perception building for railway industry across the masses.

So, coming back to your question about being the CEO of e2E Rail, I shall be frank to mention that designations or titles hardly matters to me. Since the day I started working till now, I always tried to believe that wherever I am working, I actually own that company. I always try to feel that whatever I am part of, I own that thing, I am part of that system, everything belongs to me as a person. Whatever happens, profit or loss, reputation or bad name, if I don’t feel that it is my own. I cannot succeed in that assignment. So be it an engineer, be a sales guy, marketing guy, a guy who is working at the back office or a designer or a CEO, the key thing is to be completely involved with the entity you are working for.

As far as e2E rail is concerned, we are a great team. I am just a team member.  But on  a candid note, it is not only a team; it’s a family for me. We have more than almost four hundred employees right now and another four hundred will be on a subcontractor basis. It’s a pretty large e2E Rail family, and it’s a huge privilege and honour that I have been given the opportunity to lead this fantastic team.

Q.2. (NS): What are your immediate plans and goals for your current organization towards its growth and development in a lead role?

Ans. (SM) e2E Rail is one of the fastest-growing railway infrastructure companies in India. We have grown through almost more than fifty percent CAGR over the last four years, and the same did not reduce even during first wave of pandemic. We have registered a growth rate of more than forty percent on revenue and the profitability have doubled with EBITDA figures touching at 15%.

It has been a continuous and sustainable growth rate on the backdrop of an impeccable execution record and strong order book. Our vision is to be the preferred end to end engineering and construction service provider for the railway infra projects in India. We look at a horizon of 2025 to take the company to a 800 to1000 crore level. In this journey we are contemplating expansion on horizontal as well as vertical scales of operation. This can contribute to the generation of an enormous number of opportunities for young professionals and generate significant employment opportunities. In this process we contribute towards nation-building and the concept of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

Railways being the backbone of this nation it is imperative that a company like us when we are aiming for growth we aim towards a long term and sustainable growth and just not be myopic in our strategies. That’s why we have been continuously focussing on skill development and training to generate quality workforce.

Q.3. (NS): As we all know, e2E is one of the reputed certified organization providing rail engineering expertise to rail infrastructure projects for mainline and mass transit systems in India and abroad. Which key projects undertaken by e2E would you like to highlight as major accomplishments bringing about significant change in the public transportation system in India and abroad?

Ans. (SM):  In one of our Marketing banners we use a tagline which says that e2E Rail is everywhere. In Indian rail industry, if you go to any metros, any zonal railways across India, or even in the south-east asian countries in few places, there are hardly any say railway system where e2E rail have not contributed in some capacity.

Over the last eleven years of its existence, we have always been associated with most of the railway systems right now working in India either through focused engineering & design services, operations & maintenance vertical or through the direct tuenkey and EPC contracts which we take up on our own or as a partner of the OEMs. And when I talk about, I talk about mass transit as well as the mainline, plus we have always been extremely focused company towards infra development of the private railway yards and contribute towards the last mile connectivity.

We always felt that development on the freight transportation and the connectivity to the private yards are equally important as developing the passenger transportation routes. . It gives the right impetus towards the overall rail infrastructure growth and it provides the right impetus to increase the share of rail in the overall freight transport in India. Railway provides the cleanest, fastest and cheapest way of transporting freight compared to the other medium of transport but have still only 27% share currently. So, there is a huge scope of development in this area.

For example, we now all can realise the importance for commencement of the RORO services. If this service were not in place, we could not have got the oxygen express moving at such ease and emergency basis. Also, the medical equipment and essential commodities which are being now moved through the new dfcc corridor are helping the entire process at the time of pandemic.

e2E rail has always been present across the railway value chain and one of the most prominent works. I should say achievements for us were on the Signalling technology vertical where we have been the partner for implementing the first CBTC signalling system India for Hyderabad Metro.

We have been the partner with Thales from design to testing, commissioning, installation for the entire six phases of Hyderabad metro. We had a huge team just focused on this project. It has been a huge learning experience for our team and has been one of the most interesting projects we have ever taken up. This was a flagship project which led the way to adopt this technology for other metros in India. Right now, if you see, most of the Metros have adopted this technology and are being successfully running in all major metros. We are also working with the Nagpur metro, using the same CBTC signalling system for Siemens.

e2E rail is ready to contribute in all the upcoming railway systems, from high-speed rail to the NCRTC.

You can say that we are a complete end-to-end rail infra solution provider across verticals with high-quality engineering services for the rail industry.

Q.4. (NS: How do you see the future of urban transportation and MRTS in India, and what, according to you, should be immediate changes required in the public transport system in India?

Ans. (SM): That’s a huge policy question, and that’s a very important and pertinent question at this point of time, where we are talking about reducing carbon footprint, we’re talking about reducing the number of cars, we are talking about people moving much more seamlessly, much more in a faster pace and in a much safer way. So, that is the objective.

We go by rail; we go by car, go by bus, and go by anything. The result is that we should reach safely to our destination at the fastest time and the least amount of pollution without harming nature. We need to live without hurting nature, without destroying the environment; we involve the least possible resources that could harm our ecosystem. Today, the situations we have come in today are the aftereffect of all the wrong things we have done, and we can understand how nature is hitting back to us ruthless way.

So, saying about the urban transportation where more than half the 138 Cr population of the country rushes every day to cities and wants a fast and reliable mode of transport, the need of the hour is obviously developing a seamless and integrated transport system.

As more and more of the places getting urbanized, with industrial clusters coming up across geographies, it is absolutely pertinent right now to increase the connectivity without inflicting any further damage to the environment.

For me, the answer to this is developing a seamless multimodal urban transport connectivity. For example, today I stay in a place called Yelahanka of North Bangalore and if I want to go to a place near Indira Nagar, the nearest metro to me is at Jalahalli. That’s around seven-eight kilometres from where I am staying. So, to reach over there, either have to take my own vehicle or use a cab or auto. Then after parking the vehicle, I have to board the metro, get down at Indira Nagar metro station and again take a cab or an auto and go over to my actual destination.

However, if I don’t want take that headache of switching four modes of transport along with the waiting time for each and also the hassle of getting tickets for each, I can also take my own vehicle  and drive directly to my destination, however due to the traffic congestion it might take me more time, but as a common man the pain of going through availing 4 modes of service and their associated process is just too much hazard for me. However, if there was a complete seamless multimodal transport system with a single pass and last-mile connectivity, the chances of availing those public transport services increases significantly. This kind of developing a seamless connectivity requires inclusive planning which cannot happen by silo basis working by individual department of railways, metro or Bus MRTS systems.

Every developed country and now also most of the developing countries already adopted this multimodal transportation model, and that is how we have to aim.

That’s the future of urban transportation. If the policymakers can sit down together and reframe the policies to achieve this as a single objective, it can pave the way towards a revolution in urban transport in India. The NITI Aayog and the urban development ministry need to think more on these terms to give a seamless experience to the passenger; otherwise, it’s difficult to divert people to move away from the private and use public transport as their preferred medium. And obviously if people won’t go, the ridership won’t increase, and the commercial viability shall fade.

Classic example is Mumbai Monorail which had extremely limited connectivity and access modes were also inadequate, hence the public also refrained from using the service. But the local trains at the same time were overflooded. Why because the planning towards the monorail system has been not so great which includes the entire phase of the communication or the transportation medium and not exclusive to that mode.

Q.5. (NS): Are you satisfied with the plans and policies of the government presently in terms of its commitment to develop public transport system?

Ans. (SM):  I must say that the existing policies are a huge leap forward towards high quantum growth. Yes, the results can’t be achieved immediately but the intention and the objective are positive and based on long term vision. But said that we also need to consider that policies may be attractive however if there are gaps in practical plan for implementation, the overall objective shall get delayed or not achieved in its eniriety.

I have no complaints with the government as I believe they are immensely positive towards developing transportation systems and giving significant impetus to railways which is still the safest and least polluted mode of transport.

However, I believe the pace and the planning for implementation need to improve. It’s completely a personal opinion.

Q.6. (NS) What, according to you, had been the failure and drawbacks in Indian Transportation System in last many years? If according to you, there has been any negligence or lacuna in part?

Ans. (SM)See India is an enormous country; the infrastructure growth we have seen over the last few years has been extraordinary. Last year, more than seven thousand kilometres were electrified on the mainline itself, which is a huge achievement compared to our progress over the last few years. It is not easy. There are many hardships, there are wins but at the same time there shall be occasional failures. Being a part of this rail industry for the last ten years or more than a decade, I completely understand the challenges and are more than in sync with the effort to cross the hurdles. During my involvement with the rail industry, I have come across many events which might have been avoided or done differently but the practicality is too tough. Its easy to point out delays or failures but providing solution to those is the real challenge. For example, one can say that DFCC could have been finished much faster. But there were practical limitations, practical challenges. Lands were not getting acquired, there were challenges in the procurement of materials, there were so many odds the entire fraternity were working day and night to solve. It is extremely a tough task that the DFCC has achieved. When the DFCC started, I was part of it in some capacity. First time we adopted fully mechanized track laying process where a two-kilometre track was being laid in eight hours of time which was unheard earlier, but that also happened in real. There are hundreds of events like this that have been happening over the last seven to eight years, which has changed how we had been working and changed the conventions. Still, there is a huge scope of improvement, and I am a part of the system, part of that endeavour towards improving that system where things can go much faster and much in a smoother way rather than earlier.

For example, I can say that the last mile connectivity towards the ports, the development of the freight yards, private freight terminals, needs much more focus. The National Rail Plan, if you go through it, gives a huge impetus to this subject. It’s completely in the right direction we are going. The only area of improvement that I feel is that the planning to execution conversion needs to be a little faster and that the people who are the implementing agencies need to look at a holistic approach rather than only going by the conventional employer contractor kind of a relationship while implementing the projects.

We need to start building a partnership kind of an environment to boost up the stakeholders. When I was working in the US we had a partnership with union pacific railways where all the contractors used to sit with the implementing agency and form a common project team to execute the work. However what I have seen over the years in India is the gap and discrimination between the employer, implementing agency, and the execution guys and all work in silos and busy in safeguarding their scope of work which results in conflicts and delays eventually.

I really feel that if we want to increase our pace, we need to have much more the transparency on the tendering and contract management process right from the top; the way the contracts are made in India needs refinement. It needs to give independence to the contractor to implement better technologies and better work methodologies rather than compelling them to work as per book. Results should matter rather than our conventions which may be outdated.

But in this area also, there has been considerable progress by the Railway authorities and govt implementing agencies. We have recently seen that the tenders are changing from a silo-based model towards an EPC platform. This marks a huge leap forward towards how the tenders are being done and the contracts are being executed. However, we also need to consider that this should not lead to a monopolistic situation where only few large enterprises are eligible, and the smaller players shall just perish.

The small and medium enterprises are fighting every day and day out and has been significantly contributing to the GDP. We must frame policies that can provide a level playing field for all the stakeholders and foster an environment of healthy and quality competition. This shall result in better productivity and being about quality development.

Q.7. (NS): What is your opinion about the ‘Make in India’ initiative and the ‘Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’? Do you see these initiatives bringing about any significant change?

Ans. (SM): As per me this is the single most important step which this govt have brought in. Even if there are a lot of people who questions the effecicacy of the policy due to a sluggish start, however as a railway professional, as an engineer, as a part of the industry, I feel that’s the best thing which have been done in the recent years where we have the opportunity to become a manufacturing giant in the same line with China.,

There is no way that with so much skill, so many resources present in India, why we cannot do that? We can match anybody at any point in the world. I’m telling you the Make in India policy is going to change how the world looks at India. It’s how we shall be sitting at alongside the best manufacturing nations in the world.

Have you seen how fast India adapted to developing the PPE Kits when the COVID stuck?

There are companies that have changed overnight and started manufacturing. There is no dearth of talent over here, there are no dearth of resources over here, just the policy push and a little bit of support from the government, we are going to fly, and we are going to show the world how best quality things can be achieved with the most optimum level of price.

I am all in with the Make in India campaign. From our organisation perspective, we have serious plans going forward towards contributing to the Make in India model by supporting or partnering innovations and developing state of the art products for the rail industry.

Q8. (NS): e2E has a very strong team of board of directors. As the CEO of the organization what help and support you get from other senior members of the organization in decision making and other day to day activities?

Ans. (SM): It’s a very interesting question. Somebody after a long time asked me about my board of directors which feels great. I am really proud to be part of e2E Rail team and representing the board for day-to-day activities. We are a corporate entity with a professional board of directors who have guided this company over the last 10 years towards exemplary growth and sustainability.

I thank each one of them for showing us the path and steering this company to this level from where it can scale up exponentially in the coming years.

I believe they will keep supporting us. I am extremely honoured that they have given me this opportunity to lead this team.

I would obviously like to mention the name of Mr. Abhijeet Kudva, who has been my mentor and has been the representative of the board who believed in our abilities all through and played a significant role in bringing the company to this juncture where it can move from hundred crores to eight hundred crores in the coming five years.  Also, I must mention the man behind the financial stability of our company, our CFO and my best buddy Mr Suresh Maddali who held the fort together in the toughest of the times and sailed us through with his impeccable and meticulous planning and financial control.

This is a wonderful company with a blend of experience and youth. Our average age of this company is thirty-one, which is like you can understand that is very young company. A lot of energy, a lot of exuberance comes with a blend of highly experienced professionals who guide the young team, encourage them, train them, and prepare them to handle all sorts of challenges. This is what makes us unique and make us the fastest growing rail infra company in India.

Q.9. (NS): You have an engineering background with expertise in Marketing-Sales and Business Law. In what ways a diverse academic knowledge has helped you in your professional career? What challenges have you faced in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Ans. (SM):  Pretty fascinating question; this takes me back to my college days. So, in India, the education system is very interesting. You never know where you will land up to and what you will do in the final years.

So, anyway, when I gave my entrance examination in engineering, I really didn’t know which stream I should go to. My acquaintances always told me that electronics and communications were supposed to be the best stream for getting a job easily. So, I took it, and hence the journey started.

I was always a little business-oriented guy rather than academic. I was not a good student anyways and kind of average types. I was never a brilliant, first-grade student. My marks have never been more than seventy-five percent ever in my entire career.

So, once I scored eighty-five, and I was surprised, I thought people would take back my paper and see again that no, its not eighty-five its seventy-five. Anyways, so that’s how the journey went. The interesting part is, say once you start working, you start to realize how to implement those learning that you have actually done in your academics, how aptly or how skilfully you can utilize those shall decide the extent of your success. It is extremely important to keep practising and learning. For me, it is all about learning continuously, and that’s how it has been till date.

I still feel this is the only way one can remain successful and relevant. In this continuous changing world, rather than being successful it is more important to be relevant and that can happen only by evolving yourself and learning. Continuous, knowledge is the keyword, and if we are going through the knowledge base there are no stopping. I am an Electronics engineer, but I started my work in a mechanical company. I have worked for civil companies, worked for civil components, worked for mechanical components, worked for electrical components, and handled electronic components.

But this has not been very easy or smooth sail always. Whenever you are taking up something new, you need to know that in entirety, you need to get a hold of that subject, you need to learn it the hard way, no shortcuts and that’s how it basically goes. Yes, the various diverse backgrounds helped me to understand business process better. Even when I am leading an organization, I am still a student. I am doing my master’s in business law. I took this challenge only because I want to learn the subject rather than just getting a certificate. Because to lead an engineering and construction organization there are several legal aspects to the business which I felt can better help by getting the know hows from this course which can help to tackle the everyday challenges more accurate way. So, that is how you need to be relevant in this ever-changing world by constantly learning and evolving, and whatever you do how much diverse you are; you always need to start from scratch when you’re studying that, so you need to learn to keep learning.

Q. 10. (NS) : Would you like to speak of any important project or assignment which you had been very closely associated with? What had been the outcome and a reason for a personal affinity?

Ans. (SM) : I’ll share you one project which is straight from my heart. That’s one thing which is the focus for us right now. Skill development in railway engineering is something which I have always felt that there’s a huge scope and can bring about manifold opportunities both for the students and the industry. I strongly feel this is requirement of the hour.

As a railway professional, I have moved across various projects; the maximum challenge what I have seen, our projects are delayed because there is a scarcity of skilled labour or due to faulty engineers who do not have the required skill sets to give quality work.   If you closely observe that while completion of any tasks, we come across that there are several snags which needs to be rectified. Why this snag list comes because there is inefficiency being built in the system, there are not enough skilled persons who can finish the work at one go with high precision.

So, skill development is a mission we have taken from e2E will train railway professionals, engineers, technicians, and students who aspires to make a career in rail industry.

I strongly feel that this skill development mission is one of the most key things right now required by the industry and from this interview forum I urge all my fellow, peers and colleagues from the large OEMS and my fellow contractors to invest on this, to invest on learning and development and bring more skilled people in this industry.

Because, when we look at right now, if we have to get skilled people now for any project either we have to poach each others manpower or we have to only look at Indian Railways for retired officers or employees. But, there is a huge-huge quantum of work which the private firms are doing. Where do we get people from then?? There has been an explosion of infrastructure development across the railway verticals, electrification, signalling, track, high speed railway, metros, urban transit…etc etc..name it and its being announced. But are we really giving a thought about who is going to implement that?

You cannot rotate the same people everywhere. One guy goes from here – a to b, b to c, c to d. He is obviously increasing his salary package but ultimately, there is a gap which is being created in the other works. How do you overcome that?

The only process overcoming that is by creating and investing into learning and development. Create more engineers, create more technicians, create more railway professionals who can deliver projects for you, who can deliver the required goods for you, for the industry.

We at e2E Rail have been running an institute called e2E rail village for the last 10 years, which has both online and classroom training and what we do over there in two part. One is obviously we train the fresher engineers and tehcnicans, who want to come into railway profession and the other is for upskilling of existing rail professionals.

We provide training on specific subjects like signalling, electrification or track or rolling stock. We have a small, simulated setup where there is a physical rail yard with a four hundred meter track with all the required equipments where they can have a practical hands on exposure to the real work.

But it is not in the scale of the big large railway institutes which are being run by Indian Railways but it’s an initiative to bridge the gap between the employers and the aspirants. I have appealed the government many times to help us building that on a PPP model to develop this on a much larger scale. However, we are still trying without much success on the Govt front. But, trust me this helps, say a technician, who are required in signalling projects, one normal ITI engineer cannot immediately be a wireman and start doing the wiring for a signalling relay rack. It’s impossible. They need to understand the basics. The railway is a very niche subject. We need to invest on learning and development. Hence this project which we have taken up is just not being run for profitability but rather on developing the talent pool for this industry.

I appeal to everybody, whoever have a requirement, even if, they do not want to invest themselves time and resources, please outsource. There are other institutes also. Please go to them, come to us. But, please invest in getting new professionals in this industry, rather than just focusing on poaching. That’s not how this industry can evolve, if we have to deliver faster. We have to look at that seriously.

We  also have started first-time in India a complete self-learning online portal called Swadhyaya, where people can choose the subjects they want to up skill and finish it at their own pace..

Along side our regular work it is imperative that we to upskill ourselves with the latest technologies and also if we want to diversify in our career. Hence this serves as a great platform for all existing professionals looking at career growth.

Please come forward and look at learning and development; otherwise, the plans, the policies, whatever is being made cannot be implemented in the stipulated amount of time. We are at the highest pace right now. We want to deliver fast and deliver best quality. Hence I ask all the people to please again shift their focus not only from just winning a contract rather than developing people, developing the greatest asset which is the people’s mind, nurture new talents and motivate them to get into this industry.

Q.11. (NS) : Which major position, task or organization would you reckon as the most significant in your career?

Ans (SM): My career is not much long. It’s like only 13-14 years now; I have been working. So, the most significant one, if I close my eyes, will always be the first company I worked with, which basically made steel from raw iron. The company’s name is Atlas Copco, where I learnt how business is done, what are the challenges of businesses and how to become a true professional, honest professional with integrity, and even with integrity and honesty how one can be successful.

So, that’s the first organisation where I was selected from the campus remains the closest from the heart. However, the biggest learning is obviously the e2E’s rail journey, where I joined as a head of business development and in four years, we all collectively have taken this company to a sustainable and successful position. So, that journey from business development to lead the team now as the CEO has been a massive learning. I am proud to say that I feel much more enriched today rather than four years back.

Q. 12. (NS) : Would you like to say anything about the job scenario and educational system in our country?

Ans. (SM): I already I think explain a little bit on the earlier question that the demand and supply does not match specifically for our industry if I am talking about as a say, if you can tell me as ambassador of the industry. I can tell you that there’s a huge demand-supply gap right now.  With the kind of projects which we are investing and planning to develop as per the National Rail Plan and then compare how many engineers actually get inducted into the rail industry every year, you can notice that there is absolutely no parity. How shall this enormous requirement be met? No one have any idea.

So, if the government or my fellow peers in the private sector do not focus on this, we will not reach our targets or goals in the kind of timelines we have planned for. We do not want to to go back to an era where there is a huge gap in the targeted and achieved timelines for completing the projects. Ideally, it should be like that if the project is targeted to be within three years, it has to be done in two and a half years. That’s how we are right now. We are the new generation. We are the new India where delays are not acceptable. We need to do fast and for that investing in human capital and training them is the most important subject right now.

There is no dearth of jobs. I was actually shocked to hear that 7.5 million people have lost jobs in the last month only, in India. It’s a huge-huge impact of the pandemic which is going on. But, I’m a pretty optimistic guy; I think that this is a storm, this is a tsunami which will pass. It has created a lot of ruckus, created a lot of bad effects in our lives. But, I still believe that the learning which we are getting from this is immense, which we could be reversed  if we realise that what are the wrongs we have committed. We will be prepared much better to face the coming days. The job scenario in India is not going anywhere; specifically, in our rail industry, there are huge job opportunities.

I urge the new age guys, the fresh engineers, the fresh professionals who want to make a career. Please come and join the rail industry. It will give you a fantastic career. It has huge opportunities to grow and be the best of yourself.

Q. 13 (NS): What would be your suggestions to youngsters aiming to build a successful career like you?

Ans. (SM): Its not about success in career, its always should be about contribution to the industry we are working and the society we are living. I am happy that I belong to the industry, and I am still relevant in the industry, that is the only success part of .it.

 However, to make a decent career, to contribute to the industry and to be what I should say relevant in this industry, we must focus, we must learn, we must invest our time constructively. We should be focused on keep up-skilling ourselves, know the facts and go in depth to what we are pursuing.

There is no short cut to success. We need to learn. We need to fail; otherwise, we will never be able to succeed. But, when I fail, I have to make sure I learn from those mistakes. If we just forget those mistakes. If we are not learning from the failures, it is a problem. Then we cannot succeed ever.

One of my trainers once told me that “when you commit one mistake at a time: it’s a mistake. You commit the same mistake, the next time it becomes a decision”. Because it becomes a choice for you. When you repeat same mistake, you are basically doing a crime; you are not making a mistake. So, be focused. Work hard, there is no shortcut available and keep up-skilling yourself. You will be relevant in this industry. You will be successful, there are opportunities. There is no scarcity of openings. This country is growing at the highest pace compared to the entire world. We have the youngest population in the world. We are going to dominate this era. So, no worries about it, just keep learning. Opportunities will come.

Q.14 (NS): You have recently participated in InnoMetro 2021 as a speaker; how was your experience?

Ans. (SM): It was a very interesting panel discussion on Workforce diversity & technical skills gaps. I thank you for getting us on that panel discussion. We had several eminent personalities, including Chris from Rail personnel and Sunil Srivastava from Barsyl. I was privileged to be part of the panel discussion.

It was an enriching experience of sharing and exchanging our ideas and areas of concerns and also find some solution to the concerns. In fact, I requested Chris to send across the presentation which he shared in the forum. It was a delightful experience, and I really liked how you guys obviously conducted the entire show and also arranged the simulated exhibition set-up.

I was feeling actually part of the exhibition sitting from the safety and comfort of home.

The panel discussion was extremely enriching, and the platform was awesome.

Q.15 (NS) Thank you, thank you so much and the last question of the interview, what is your opinion of Metro Rail News Magazine.

Ans . (SM): I have been a subscriber of this magazine for a pretty long now. My office is a subscriber and we have been using the reports as one of the most trusted medium of information which comes across. It covers most of the verticals and industry on a very thorough note.

The number of topics that are being covered, the people you guys are interviewing, and the notes you guys are putting in are all extremely informative and useful. It does not show anybody in a bad light, but despite that, there is constructive criticism also in lot of editorials

I recommend everybody to use this Metro Rail News Magazine because it is informative and provides correct news about the industry and also helps in the perception building for the rail industry.

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#MediaInterview In a conversation with Mr. Sourajit Mukherjee, CEO, e2E Rail and shared his views on various issues related to the Urban Transport system in India, #MRTS, #MakeinIndia, #AtmanirbharBharatAbhiyan
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UPMRC Recruitment 2021: Apply for the post of Managing Director

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Lucknow Metro
Image for representation.

LUCKNOW (): Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (UPMRCL)invites applications from qualified and experienced candidates for the post of Managing Director.

Recruitment Details –

Name of the Post – Managing Director

Last date for submission of application – 15 June 2021 up to 17:00 Hrs

Eligibility – Age (as on 01/6/2021)

  • Minimum – 45 years
  • Maximum – 58 years

Qualification & Experience –

The applicant should be an engineering graduate, preferably from the Civil or Electrical Engineering discipline with good academic record from a recognized university/ institution. Persons with post-graduate qualification in Engineering, Project Management or Business Administration will have added advantage.

Applicants from Government or public sector should have a minimum of 26 years of experience in Group ‘A’ or equivalent executive grade. Applicants currently not in Government or public sector, but having earlier experience of at least 26 years in Group ‘A’ or equivalent executive grade in Government or public sector, shall also be eligible. Applicants who have worked for at least 2 years in the pay scale of Rs 1,80,000-3,40,000 (IDA) in Government/ PSUs will have an added advantage.

Applicants from private sector with a minimum of 5 years’ experience as CEO or a Director in an organization of repute and having handled multi-disciplinary engineering projects preferably in urban situations shall also be eligible.

Scale of the Post –

Rs. 2,00,000 – 3,70,000 (IDA Pattern) along with other allowances/ perks/ privileges as applicable to the post of Managing Director as per UPMRC rules.

Job Description & Responsibilities –

The Managing Director as the Chief Executive Officer will be responsible for overall functioning of the organization. He will be responsible for successful implementation of entire project within budget and time period. As leader of the team for implementation, successful commissioning and operation of upcoming Metro Projects of the company in various cities of Uttar Pradesh. He will be responsible for overall planning, design, construction scheduling, monitoring and controlling of these projects including mobilizing the necessary resources and coordinating the efforts of team to ensure delivery within estimated budget, timelines and to the desired standards and quality. This will include coordination with international funding agencies and Government for funding of the projects, arranging all the necessary statutory approvals and clearances for implementation of these Projects during construction as well as subsequent smooth operations and managing relationships with all internal and external stakeholders consistent to their expectations and deliverables.

He should plan Metro Operations with a vision of affordability of the service to the common man yet ensuring financial sustainability of the system on its own.

He will also be responsible for planning subsequent phases of various metro projects in various cities of Uttar Pradesh.

Duration of Appointment –

The appointment shall be for a period of 5 years or up to the age of superannuation, whichever is earlier, on a contractual or deputation basis, as the case may be. A further extension to tenure shall be with the approval of the Competent Authority. General age for superannuation will be 60 years unless extended otherwise by the Competent Authority.

For more details, applicants can download notification from the website – www.lmrcl.com

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DPR of Delhi-Varanasi Bullet Train Project to be submitted by August to the Ministry of Railways

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NHSRCL has completed 33% of land acquisition in Maharashtra for MAHSR Corridor
Image Source: NHSRCL

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Delhi-Varanasi Bullet Train Project is progressing well as the ground survey work is completed for the project and based on data obtained from it, work on a detailed project report (DPR) is underway at present. Despite some hindrances to the work due to the ongoing corona crises, the DPR will be submitted by August to the Ministry of Railways.

National High-Speed ​​Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has started LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey for this project from January this year. LiDAR survey is a technique in which laser enabled equipment is mounted on a helicopter or plane to carry out ground survey. This technology gives accurate survey data and findings in less time. This modern technology has been used in the survey of the Delhi-Varanasi High-Speed ​​Rail Corridor after Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed ​​Rail Corridor.

As per the survey, the entire roadmap of the railway project is being prepared and based on that, an accurate description of the proposed rail track and its surrounding area is collected. Data are collected on geographical location, nature of land, distance between two important places etc. Based on this, the requirement of land for the project is revealed. Along with this, the design of the structure, railway stations, loco depot and other important construction places are also marked. Similarly, other important decisions are taken on the basis of information received from the survey. 

As per NHSRCL (National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited) officials, the draft report has been submitted to the Ministry of Railways. Now DPR will also be handed over soon. After the approval from the government, land acquisition and construction work will be started at the ground level.

Delhi-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor will pass through 22 districts of Uttar Pradesh and will have 12 stations on the route. Proposed stations are Delhi, Noida, Jewar Airport, Mathura, Agra, New Etawah, South Kannauj, Lucknow, Raibareli, Prayagraj, New Bhadoi, and Varanasi.

Once completed, bullet trains will operate on the corridor at a top speed of 300 km per hour and a journey of 865 km between Delhi and Varanasi will be completed in less than three hours.

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Bangalore Metro’s Mysore Road-Kengeri Section launch postponed to July

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BMRCL’s airport line work to resume in three months.
Image Source: BMRCL

BENGALURU (Metro Rail News): The launching of Mysore Road-Kengeri of Bangalore Metro has again postponed further to July in the wake of the rising corona pandemic and the resultant shortage of workers. After inspection made on Thursday at the Kengeri station on this line, the deadline now has been set as July 20 for its inauguration.

As per Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Managing Director Rakesh Singh, “The lockdown in the city, as well as the shortage of labour by 40% during the last two months, has caused some delay. We are planning to open the line by July provided the severity of the pandemic wanes.”

BMRCL is facing shortage of workers and at present, there are only 3,500 workers compared to the workforce requirement of 8,000 workers. Many workers are also not reporting for work in present times as they are unwilling to risk themselves.

“Almost 90 to 95 per cent of the work has been completed in five stations, while 75% work has been completed in one station. Anywhere between June 15 and 20, all works will be completed. We will then apply to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety,” he added.

This section under Reach 2A/2B (Mysuru Road to Challaghatta) includes 7 elevated stations, namely Nayandahalli, Rajarajeshwari Nagara, and Jnana Bharathi, Pattanagere, Mailasandra, Kengeri Bus Terminal and Challaghatta with total route length of 8.81 km. The last station Challaghatta which lies across NICE Peripheral Road is expected to become operational by March 2022.

The contract for this section of Purple Line western extension is awarded in two parts. Reach 2A section of 3.94 km from Mysuru Road to Pattanagere was awarded to IL&FS Company for four stations at INR 327 crore and Reach 2B from Pattanagere to Challaghatta of 4.86 km to Soma Enterprise at INR 332 crore while Alstom has bag the contract for supply of electrification and signaling works.

Once operational, this section will reduce the travel journey time between Mysuru Road and Kengeri to 15 minutes and with expected daily ridership of 75,000 passengers on this section. This will be the second line under Phase-2 to become operational after the 6.29 km long stretch from Yelachenahalli to Silk Institute became operational on 14 January 2021.

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Tata Projects won a contract worth Rs 2000 Cr from Chennai Metro

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Chennai Metro/ Representational image
Chennai Metro/ Representational image

CHENNAI: TATA Projects Limited, one of India’s fastest-growing and most admired infrastructure companies, has received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from Chennai Metro for the contract related to the construction of 09 km long twin bored tunnels, totalling 18 km, from Venugopal Nagar Metro Station to Kellys Metro Station which is a part of Phase-2 (Line-3) of Chennai Metro Rail Project.

Although, Tata Projects did not reveal the contract value. However, according to the source, value of the contract is INR 1999 crores. The time period for completion of this work is four years.

The contract also involves construction of the diaphragm walls of the station box and entry/exit structures of the Madhavaram Milk Colony, Murari Hospital, Ayanavaram and Purasaiwakkam High Road stations, including launching and retrieval shafts as required at these stations.

Mr Raman Kapil, Vice President & BU Head – Metros & Tunnels – Tata Projects Ltd, said, “We are happy to have secured the ‘Letter of Acceptance’ for this prestigious order which will benefit the citizens of Chennai. Our company is executing underground metro projects in Mumbai and Pune while having successfully completed Lucknow’s underground metro line. This new order therefore reinforces our leadership position and top-notch expertise in undertaking and successfully executing
underground metro rail lines across India.”

On completion, this underground stretch will immensely benefit people of Chennai by providing comfortable, faster and eco-friendly mode of travel along with boosting local businesses in the areas as travelling to such locations will become easier and convenient.

Phase-2 of Chennai Metro comprises construction of three lines covering a total of 118.9 km, these lines are –

Line-3 from Madhavaram to Siruseri (45.81 km with 48 stations)

Line-4 from Light House to Poonamallee (26.1 km, 28 stations)

Line-5 fromMadhavaram to Sholinganallur (47 km, 46 stations)

Construction activities for Phase-2 are expected to start in next few months with whole phase is expected to be completed by 2026.

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RITES invite tenders for Railway Electrification and S&T Works on Udaipur City-Himmatnagar section

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Image for representation.

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited (RITES Ltd) invites open tender on behalf of North Western Railway (NWR) for Railway Electrification and Signaling & Telecommunication works on single-line section of Udaipur City -Himmatnagar section of Ajmer Division, North Western Railway, Rajasthan & Gujarat.

Name of Work

Railway Electrification of 25 kV OHE works including Traction Substations, General Electrification, Civil Engineering Works including Tower Wagon Shed, Service Buildings, Staff Quarters, Track works and Signaling & Telecommunication works on existing track of single line section of Udaipur City (Excl.)-Himmatnagar (Excl) section of Ajmer Division, North Western Railway, Rajasthan & Gujarat, India

Important Details

Tender Reference Number – RITES/CO/EE/RE/WORKS/UDZ_HMT

Estimated Cost of Work – INR 178.19 Crores

Completion Period – 456 Days

Document Download Start Date – 19-May-2021 02:00 PM

Document Download End Date – 21-Jun-2021 03:00 PM

Bid Submission Start Date – 21-May-2021 10:00 AM

Bid Submission End Date – 21-Jun-2021 03:00 PM

Bid Opening Date – 22-Jun-2021 03:30 PM

Scope of Work

This Railway Electrification work shall broadly include Civil, S&T and Electrical related works –

  1. General –
  • Provision of OHE on Udaipur City (UDZ) – Himmatnagar (HMT) single line section.
  • Construction of Traction sub-station (TSS), switching posts (SPs/SSPs).
  • Modification (Indoor and Outdoor) to telecommunication system to suit 25 kV A.C. traction as per existing guidelines.
  • Provision of service buildings and staff quarters along with associated civil engineering works.
  • Tower Wagon siding for Tower Wagon including inspection pit, etc.
  • Co-ordination & Liaison, if required, with state electricity authorities regarding 132 or 220 kV Transmission Line network from nearby Grid Sub-station (GSS) to Traction Sub-station (TSS) in this section. However, Construction of Transmission Line from GSS to TSS not covered in the scope of this tender.
  • Modification of Power Line Crossings.
  • All allied works necessary for successful completion of the project including Maintenance & supervision of entire system during defect liability period of the project.

2. Civil Works –

  • Establishment of survey control points for accurate survey using high end survey equipment such as DGPS and Total Station connected with nearest GTS Benchmark and establishment of pillars.
  • Co-ordination & liaison for Land Acquisition for Traction Sub Station, Quarters, Service Buildings transmission line, etc., if any.
  • Provision of Earth work in-formation for Traction Sub Station, Tower wagon Shed & Service roads, approach road for TSS as per site conditions and approved drawing.
  • Planning, Design, Construction and Raising of Foot Over Bridge, Road Over Bridge, or any other overline structure.
  • Planning, design, and construction of Service Buildings, OHE cum PSI depots, TSS, TWS, SP/SSP’s Buildings, AEE office cum Training Centre, S&T office, TRD office, S&T Structures, Relay Room, Battery Rooms, etc. as per approved drawing and client’s requirements.
  • Planning, Design, and Construction of Residential Quarters (Type -2, Type-3, Type -4, and Type-5) with water supply and sewerage facilities, drainage, service roads, approach road, boundary walls, etc., at different locations, as per approved drawing and client’s requirements.
  • Water Supply arrangements for the Residential Quarters, Office Buildings, Service Buildings, etc., as per approved drawing and client’s requirements.
  • Transportation, handling, stacking, watching, protection, etc., for the construction and Track materials from manufacturer’s works/place of purchase to the working sites.
  • Testing of Material, Quality of works, documentation as per ISO and RDSO/Railway specifications and ensuring precautionary measures and safety arrangements.
  • Providing Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) from reputed supplier of RMC as per approved design mix, drawings, specifications, and contract agreement.
  • Protection works for bridges: Protective screens at FOB’s, ROB’s, etc.
  • Raising of FOB in the section
  • Modification in the platform shelters, passenger amenities, and miscellaneous works as per client’s requirements/approved drawings.
  • Provision of Height gauges at Level Crossings.
  • Construction of Low height sub-way (LHS), Road under bridge (RUB), Road over bridge (ROB) in replacement of Level Crossings, as per client’s
  • requirements.
  • Provision of Permanent Way Linking, construction for TWS & TSS at different locations as per Railway requirements.
  • Preparation and supply of “As Built” drawings.

3. Signaling & Telecommunication works –

  • Modifications in existing S&T plans/drawings for 25 kV ACT system between Udaipur City (excl.)-Himmatnagar (excl.) section.
  • Preparation of new S&T plans & other drawings.
  • Modifications in existing signaling installation at stations and mid-section LC gates for 25 KV ACT between Udaipur City (Excl.)-Himmatnagar (Excl) section.
  • Replacement of existing single line block instruments by single line block instruments suitable for 25 KV AC Traction between Udaipur City (excl.)-Himmatnagar (excl.) section.
  • Provision of additional signal cables for signaling modifications and provision of Quad & OF cables for additional telecom requirements for RE.
  • Provision of additional telecom facilities.
  • Provision of communication media for SCADA.
  • Execution of S&T work and commissioning S&T system as per NR practices/ approvals.
  • Preparation of “as built drawings”.

4. Electrical Works –

  • Supply & installation of 25 KV single Phase AC overhead equipment and all associated works including preparation of all related drawings.
  • Construction of Traction sub-station, switching posts, Sectioning Posts, Sub Sectioning Posts, Maintenance Depots etc.
  • Electrification of Service buildings, Residential Buildings, FOBs/ROBs, LC gates and streets/roads, connecting Service buildings, Residential Buildings & stations.
  • Modifications to existing 11 kV & 33 kV overhead Power Line Crossings
  • Liaison with State Electricity Authorities / Board and other related Government Agency for Power supply arrangement from utility/ State GSS to Proposed TSS and augmentation of 25kV bays, as per requirement.
  • Modification in LT distribution lines at stations as required, to provide necessary safety and electrical clearance required for 25 kV AC electrification.
  • Provision/expansion of rooms for SCADA equipment’s, UPS, workstations, etc. in the existing SCADA Centre, if any.
  • Modification in existing SCADA system, SCADA work at TSS, SP and SSPs including four (04) years of comprehensive maintenance.
  • Training of staff for 25 kV AC Traction system.

For more details, tender documents can be downloaded from the website –https://etenders.gov.in/eprocure/app 

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Noida Metro re-invites bid for providing free E-Rickshaw services from Sector-51 and Sector-52 Metro Stations

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NOIDA (Metro Rail News): Noida Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRC) re-invites RFP (Request for Proposal) for providing free E-Rickshaw services to Metro commuters between Sector-51 and Sector–52 Metro Stations through dedicated pathway/cartway.

Name of the Bid: RFP for Engagement of Agency for providing free ERickshaw services to Metro commuters for seamless connectivity between Sec -51 Metro Station (NMRC) and Sector – 52 Metro Station (DMRC) through dedicated pathway/cartway.

Important Details

Tender Reference Number – NMRC/Free E-Rikshaw/147(R1)/2021

License Period – 2 Years

Pre Bid Meeting Date – 25-May-2021 11:00 AM

Document Download / Sale Start Date – 18-May-2021 02:00 PM

Document Download / Sale End Date – 07-Jun-2021 03:00 PM

Bid Submission Start Date – 18-May-2021 02:00 PM

Bid Submission End Date – 07-Jun-2021 03:00 PM

Bid Opening Date – 07-Jun-2021 04:00 PM

Requirements / Pre-requisites for Operator –

  • Operator has to ensure 10 operational E-Rickshaws at all time during operation.
  • All E-Rickshaws shall be owned, managed and controlled and operated by the Operator and operator will bear all the associated cost.
  • The operator shall engage minimum four-seater E-Rickshaws, excluding the driver.
  • The operator shall make own arrangements for lubricants / battery charger, batteries etc., and all other maintenance works as applicable necessary for the operation of the fleet.E-Rickshaw parking facility and Charging facility shall also be managed by the Operator company, however alternatively NMRC can also provide the spaces (other than Sec – 51 Metro Station) as per feasibility for develop parking and charging facility by the perator at their own cost and risk and  same will be on chargeable basis.
  • E-Rickshaws shall be conforming to the latest specifications and relevant standards notified by Government of India/Govt. of UP and will carry certification from approved testing centers for the same.
  • E-Rickshaws shall have the certification from Government of India approved testing centres (ARAI, ICAT, etc.), so as to satisfy the required performance of E-Rickshaw as a whole and also conformance to the relevant applicable specifications for the main components used in it as the Motor, Battery, Motor Controller, Mechanical Power Transmission system, its body, other auxiliary systems such as brakes, lighting and control, etc. and the overall safety.
  • For reliable and economical after – sale service, indigenously developed superior designs by reputed manufacturers of E-Rickshaws with Solar panel shall be preferred.
  • Each E-Rickshaw shall be registered individually with appropriate Transport Authority, if required.
  • Number of E-Rickshaws deployed by the Operator shall be as per the number mentioned in the RFP to match with the required frequency and load of metro commuters
  • E-Rickshaws deployed by the Operator shall be supplied from an original manufacturer of the E-Rickshaws/ an Authorised dealer thereof.
  • The e-rickshaw shall be fully compliant with the Government’s Make in India campaign.
  • Zero Carbon emissions as vehicle being electric.
  • Fleet of E-Rickshaws for metro connectivity may be given a uniform and pleasing appearance; proposed colour and design in this regard should be of Aqua colour bearing the Logo of NMRC.
  • Literate and trained drivers in Uniform shall be deployed by Operator to run these E-Rikshaws.
  • Preferably a suitable overnight parking hub(s) to park E-Rickshaws (at night) and to carry out repairs and maintenance suitably equipped with spares and technical team shall be available with the Operator. All expenses / cost related to maintenance / refurbishment of vehicles will be borne only by the operator for the tenure of the contract. In the event of vehicle getting damaged beyond repair the operator may arrange for replacement of vehicle at his discretion but NMRC shall not be liable for the same.

Sector – 51 Metro Station of Aqua line (NMRC) and Sec – 52 Metro Station of Blue line (DMRC) is adjacent to each other and there are a number of passengers who use both Metro system on regular/daily basis. To provide seamless, hassle free, easy and free connectivity between these two Metro Stations, it is conceptualized to provide the free connectivity through E-Rickshaws operated on a dedicated pathway/cartway.

For more details, tender documents can be downloaded from the website – http://etender.up.nic.in or on NMRC website – www.nmrcnoida.com 

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90% of Viaduct work is completed for Nagpur Metro Reach-4

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Nagpur Metro work during Covid19 Pandemic
Nagpur Metro work during Covid19 Pandemic

NAGPUR (Metro Rail News): 90% of Viaduct and Station construction work is completed from Sitabuldi to Prajapati Nagar road of Nagpur Metro Reach-4. Construction work for Nagpur Metro is underway at a rapid pace despite the ongoing corona crises. A total of nine metro stations are proposed on this route of 8.30 km between Sitabuldi Interchange to Prajapati Nagar Metro Station.

At present, 75% of the track laying work is completed for this Central Avenue Reach-4 route. Central Avenue is one of the major routes connecting the east and west parts of Nagpur. Despite lockdown due to coronavirus, Maharashtra Metro Corporation Limited (Maha Metro) is working at great speed to complete Phase-1 of Nagpur Metro.

2 out of 4 Reaches of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project have already been completed and the remaining 2 Reaches are expected to become operational by the end of this year.

Phase-1 of Nagpur Metro comprises construction of 38.21 km long network with 2 lines i.e. Orange Line and Aqua Line. Reach 1 under Orange Line from Sitabuldi to Khapri of length 13.5 km and Reach-3 from Sitabuldi to Lokmanya Nagar under Aqua Line of length 11 km are already operational. Reach-2 (Orange Line) from Sitabuldi to Automotive Square and Reach-4 (Aqua Line) from Sitabuldi to Prajapati Nagar will start operation by December this year.

This 38.21 km long route under Phase-1 of Nagpur Metro is one of the fastest executing metro projects in the country. The viaducts are nearing completion and tracks have been laid to a large extent. Many stations are in advanced stages of completion. A double decker flyover is also being built on Kamptee Road.

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Alstom Ballarat plant to manufacture 25 new trains for Melbourne Suburban Railway

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Melbourne Suburban Railway
Melbourne Suburban Railway

MELBOURNE (Metro Rail News): French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has won a contract worth $986 million to manufacture 25 new trains at its Ballarat plant in Victoria for Melbourne’s suburban network.

According to the plans unveiled on Tuesday by acting Premier of Victoria James Merlino and Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll, Alstom’s Ballarat factory will start building the X’Trapolis 2.0 trains from next year and with operations of the train to began on the network by 2026.

These trains will consist of six cars each and will replace the ageing Comeng fleet. These trains will be required to be built with a minimum 60% of local content. Trains will be designed to have capacity of 1200 passengers which is well beyond the Comeng capacity of about 760 passengers.

According to Mr. Carroll, “We are currently the only state that actually builds trains, builds trams and builds buses. Often our factories are supplying other public transport modes to other states”.

Mr Carroll said the new trains would be lighter and more energy efficient and the doors will be wider in a bid to reduce wait times at stations, while carriages will be roomier and more accessible for people with wheelchairs and prams. According to him, the contract would deliver a major boost to regional manufacturing.

According to Government, Alstom will employ 150 people, adding to the 25 workers currently engaged at the dormant Ballarat site, while a total of 750 jobs will be created. There will be spending of about $13 million for upgrading the Ballarat facility.

According to Alstom’s managing director in Australia, Mark Coxon, 15% of the workers would-be apprentices and 7% would be disadvantaged Victorians. He said the company was exploring different designs, including some with “transversal and longitudinal seating”, which would involve seating running along the sides of the carriages rather than across them.
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Public Transport Users Association spokesperson Daniel Bowen said many of the Coming trains are nearly 40 years old and will need to be replaced before they start to cause widespread reliability problems.

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Indian Railways delivers more than 11030 MT oxygen to various States battling corona crises

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Oxygen Express at Delhi Cantt
Oxygen Express at Delhi Cantt

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Giving a major assistance to the country in the wake of rising corona crises and overcoming shortage of oxygen supply across various States battling Covid-19, Indian Railways has delivered more than 11030 MT of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) through more than 675 tankers to various States across India.

A total of nearly 175 Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey so far and brought relief to various States. Southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu got a big boost in Oxygen supply with several Oxygen Expresses delivering their loads on 15th May night and on 16th May.
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NCR region crossed the delivery of more than 5000 MT of Oxygen for further distribution. Oxygen Expresses have been delivering nearly 800 MT of LMO to the Nation each day for last few days. Kerala received its first Oxygen Express at Ernakulam with 118 MT of load.

It is Indian Railways endeavour to deliver as much LMO as possible in the shortest time possible to the requesting States.

According to Ministry of Railways, 521 MT of Oxygen has been offloaded in Maharashtra, nearly 2858 MT in UP, 476 MT in MP, 1427 MT in Haryana, 565 MT in Telangana, 40 MT in Rajasthan, 480 MT in Karnataka, 200 MT in Uttarakhand, 350 MT in Tamil Nadu, 81 MT in Punjab, 118 MT in Kerala and nearly 3794 MT in Delhi.

In order to ensure that Oxygen relief reaches in the fastest time possible, Railways is creating new standards and unprecedented benchmarks in running of Oxygen Express Freight Trains. The average speed of these critical Freight trains is way above 55 in most cases over long distances. Running on high priority Green Corridor, with a highest sense of urgency, operational teams of various zones are working round the clock in most challenging circumstances to ensure that Oxygen reaches in fastest possible time frame. Technical Stoppages have been reduced to 1 minute for crew changes over different sections.

Tracks are kept open and high alertness is maintained to ensure that Oxygen Express keeps zipping through. All this is done in a manner that speed of other Freight Operation doesn’t get reduced as well.

Railways has mapped different routes with Oxygen supply locations and keep itself ready with any emerging need of the States. States provide tankers to the Indian Railways for bringing LMO.

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