By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, SEPT 28, 2017: Indian Railways is inspired by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi's goal of making Railways the engine that fuels our vikasyatra (development journey) towards New India. In this context, the Railways Minister, Mr. Piyush Goyal announced various decisions taken by Ministry of Railways for Transformation of Indian Railways today in Rail Bhavan. The  Minister of State for Communication (I/c) & Minister of State for Railways, Mr. Manoj Sinha was also present on the occasion. The Chairman, Railway Board, Mr. Ashwani Lohani and all board members were present on the occasion.

Mr. Piyush Goyal said, Railways is committed to ensuring high standards of safety, speed and service for Indian consumers and also ensuring contribution to national development. In the past one month, Indian Railways has taken significant transformative steps to ensure this goal, he added.

Several decisions announced by the Minister of Railways, Mr. Piyush Goyal are as under:

Highest priority to passenger safety

- Overriding and perceptible priority to safety

- Priority to track renewal over new lines or gauge conversion or in allotment of rails

- Tremendous stress on field inspections by officers

- Overriding priority for granting maintenance blocks

- Eliminating remaining 5,000 unmanned level crossings in a time-bound manner

- Shift to LHB coaches from ICF coaches by next year

- Provision of CCTV cameras in coaches and stations for enhanced security especially benefitting women and senior citizens

- Ramping up electronic interlocking of signals in place of manual interlocking

- Revamping the existing signalling system - use of TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System)and MTRC (Mobile Train Radio Communication). Also considering modern signalling systems for suburban and long distance trains

- Using technology like ultra sonic frequency detection, cameras for detecting defects

- All RPF staff and TTEs to be in proper uniform while on duty to bring in transparency

- RPF staff will not check tickets, which is the function of TTEs. They shall however assist ticket checking squads.

Transforming through technology

- Stress on extensive use of mobile apps for monitoring and passenger services

- All stations and trains to have high speed wi-fi connectivity

- Proposed to increase speed of around 700 trains with effect from 1st November 2017. 48 trains are being converted from Mail express to the Superfast category

- Expediting the project for GPS based real time monitoring of train movement

- Expediting satellite based mapping of all Railway assets through ISRO

Energy efficiency

- Completion of electrification by the next 4-5 years. This will lead to savings in energy costs of over Rs. 10,000 cr while reducing pollution and dependence on imported diesel

- 100% LED lighting and energy efficient appliances like fans, ACs to be introduced in in trains, stations, office buildings and residential colonies in a time bound manner

Faster Redevelopment of stations

- About 20 stations will be modernised in an expedited manner with superior infrastructure and passenger facilities including hotels, eateries, shopping, disabled friendly, multimodal transport hub, security etc. by December 2018

- Identifying additional stations and trying to create a self-financing business model like reassessing tenure of contract, access control and freedom to sublease

Railway Stations as Multi-utility centres

- Many stations that receive very few trains in a day are proposed to be used as Multi-utility centres for activities like yoga centres, skilling, educational purposes

Upgrading health and education facilities

- In addition, schools and hospitals operated by Indian Railways will be improved with infrastructure facilities, which will benefit not only railway employees but also other people

Human resources

- Tremendous stress is being laid on welfare of human resources

- Grievance Redressal Camps are being organised regularly. Grievance Redressal Cells are being set up in every Zonal/divisional headquarters for hearing employee complaints

- Extensive delegation of powers is being done

- Process reforms to improve the efficiency of the system is being taken up in an aggressive manner

- Reduction in number of organisational layers is being analysed

- Posting of brilliant and enthusiastic officers as Station Directors at 75 A1 Class Stations to bring dynamism in operations

- Posting additional ADRMs to strengthen divisional work by reallocation from headquarters

Focus on welfare of field staff

- Improving overall working conditions of Group D category staff. For example, gang-men, who are responsible to ensuring track safety, and who have to walk around 15-16 kms on an average in a particular day will be provided with comfortable uniforms and better quality shoes. Their living quarters (Gang huts) too will be improved

- Running rooms of loco drivers are being air conditioned

Enhancing Railway Revenue through monetisation of assets

- Monetisation of railway assets will improve finances and the operating ratio, freeing up resources for critical railway projects. This will be done by making land monetisation attractive by changing various rules and regulations

These improvements will help the lifeline of our nation to flourish as well as contribute more to our economic and social development. The transformation of the Indian Railways is well under way to ensure it is not just the compulsion of the people but the choice of the people.