Indian Railways' projects in Tamil Nadu

[MA Eswaran]

I think these trains were added due to MOSR from Kerala as reported in Malayalam channels.

MOSR was reading the list of trains in the TV channel which has these



http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/04/stor...0450240100.htm

Kerala to get eight new trains
J. Balaji
Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam stations to have international standards
________________________________________
Weekly ‘Duronto’ between Ernakulam, New Delhi
Kollam-Punalur gauge conversion in 2009-10
________________________________________
NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has sanctioned eight new trains for Kerala, including one weekly ‘Duronto’ (long-distance non-stop train) between Ernakulam and New Delhi.

The other trains are: Bangalore-Kochuveli super fast weekly express, Shoranur-Nilambur Road daily passenger, Coimbatore-Shoranur daily passenger, Ernakulam-Goa tri-weekly, and Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore daily via Alappuzha. Besides, two new trains, Hapa (Gujarat)-Tirunelveli Junction biweekly super fast and Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Junction weekly super fast, will run via Thiruvananthapuram.

Trains extended
In the course of the railway budget presentation, Ms. Banerjee announced the extension of some trains in the State. They are: the 6517/6518 Bangalore-Mangalore daily to Kannur, the 2075/2076 Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam daily to Kozhikode, and the 6885/6886 Ernakulam-Tiruchirappalli daily to Nagore.

Railways were targeting to complete the gauge conversion work between Kollam and Punalur in 2009-10. Also, proposals have been initiated for laying new lines between Madurai and Ernakulam (Kochi) and along the Erumeli-Pathanamthitta-Punalur-Thiruvananthapuram route.

Thiruvananthapuram Central and Ernakulam Junction have been included on the list of 50 stations that will be developed to international standards.
Besides, Ernakulam and Palakkad find a place on the list of stations to have multi-functional facilities such as shopping arcades, food stalls and restaurants, book stalls, telephone booths, medicines and variety stores, budget hotels and underground parking.

These facilities will be developed by Indian Railway Construction Corporation Limited and the Rail Land Development Authority

[madhan]

Southern Railway is inviting suggestions from public to make the Chennai Central to world class..

http://www.southernrailway.gov.in/world_class.php

[dis.agree]

this is just a big joke on all of us. i'll just be happy if they manage to ensure stations are not sewage dumps and platform free from encroachments.

indian railways are so backward even by indian standards. tickets are priced absurdly cheap and there is no hope of them making any station any where near world class even in next 2-3 decades.

[Bless]

Originally Posted by dis.agree

this is just a big joke on all of us. i'll just be happy if they manage to ensure stations are not sewage dumps and platform free from encroachments.

indian railways are so backward even by indian standards. tickets are priced absurdly cheap and there is no hope of them making any station any where near world class even in next 2-3 decades.

I agree with you; people should be cooperative for increase in price as well as platfrom tickets; one platform ticket of 3 Rs for two hours is insured for 4 lacks (Maximum), even then (unknowingly?? aren't we popularizing it) there are some who try to avoid buying platform tickets.
And simillarly passengers with a valid tickets are allowed to carry limitted weight(25- 35kg excluding food), but I had seen some carring a tone of load with them.

On the Other hand I'm optimiztic about making world class. if govenment(IAS officers) had determined it could be acheived even in 3 years.

Hoping for FEASIBILITY REPORT going well , I had suggested, Entry by first floor and exit by ground floor approch for all platfroms with lifts, starcase, and (d)escalator for every 4 coaches distance, so that randomness in passenger can be reduced a lot. its just like an terminal modals where we can avail a lot more space for shops.

Optimistic,
-Bless.

[Arasu]

Introduction of new trains and all that is humbug when neither the track (kms) has been added nor the speed of trains has been increased. How do you keep on increasing the number of trains? This is sheer nonsense.

There has to be a qualitative and quantitative improvements in the Indian Railways and the ministry has to aspire for it. Mamta will only play with what she already in terms of cancelling the trains to some place and introducing new ones to some other cities. I wonder whether she has the vision to bring about changes in the long term planning and strategy in terms introducing high speed trains, improving the infrastructure at the railway stations, and better quality rolling stock.

[Arul Murugan]

Introduction of new trains and all that is humbug when neither the track (kms) has been added nor the speed of trains has been increased. How do you keep on increasing the number of trains? This is sheer nonsense.

How do you say it is non-sense to ask more service when there is no proper optimization?

2002 southern railways was telling we cannot add not even a single train to Chengalpattu-Trichy single line, but they added 5 up daily night service and 5 down night service till 2008. Which is around 70 service per week.

Same in Chennai-Erode sector railways told the line reached peak saturation, but they added nearly 30-35 service per week from 2002.

And the freight trains have increased much in all the section, they can add only freight trains but not much service for public.

And trains were not introduced in newly converted lines to BG! And railways is never innovative in optimizing the existing rakes and they are blaming the non-availability of rakes!

It will be very hard to believe some reports of SR appearing in papers, for example, Thirussur-Guruvayur line is mentioned by SR as 140% saturated line, but there is no freight trains operation in that line and only one express and 3-4 passenger trains are in operation. Dont know how come that would be 140% saturated line.

[Bless]

Originally Posted by Arul Murugan

How do you say it is non-sense to ask more service when there is no proper optimization?

2002 southern railways was telling we cannot add not even a single train to Chengalpattu-Trichy single line, but they added 5 up daily night service and 5 down night service till 2008. Which is around 70 service per week.

Same in Chennai-Erode sector railways told the line reached peak saturation, but they added nearly 30-35 service per week from 2002.

And the freight trains have increased much in all the section, they can add only freight trains but not much service for public.

And trains were not introduced in newly converted lines to BG! And railways is never innovative in optimizing the existing rakes and they are blaming the non-availability of rakes!

It will be very hard to believe some reports of SR appearing in papers, for example, Thirussur-Guruvayur line is mentioned by SR as 140% saturated line, but there is no freight trains operation in that line and only one express and 3-4 passenger trains are in operation. Dont know how come that would be 140% saturated line.

If its only from the track capacity then i could classify it as a wrong and misleading information provided the number of line crossing is also available. however if its about other resources, like human (driver, station master, cleaner etc), platform availability, fuel or over head electric line capacity, fund, number of engine to pull the vagans etc, then that statement might be still valid. (what about passangers?)

[Arul Murugan]

It is track capacity for sure,

Here is one of the reply which I got from SR for asking more trains.

Saturation of line capacity in the sections on the route as given below:

(i) Line capacity utilization of Jolarpettai-Salem section is 128.1%.

(ii) Line capacity utilization of Salem-Erode section is 134.7%.

(iii) Line capacity utilization of Katpadi-Jolarpettai section is 152.6%.

(iv) Line capacity utilization of Madurai-Virudunagar section is 102.6%."

[Trichy_Arun]

Originally Posted by Arul Murugan

It is track capacity for sure,

Here is one of the reply which I got from SR for asking more trains.

Arul,

Any idea of what is the track utilisation between Trichy - Villupuram? It will be in excess during peak hours.

Thanks.

[Bless]

Originally Posted by Arul Murugan

It is track capacity for sure,

Here is one of the reply which I got from SR for asking more trains.

Arul,
I don't know whether you love this post or hate it, but I hope others will classify it as street fight/cat fight/dog fight (sorry I cannot help). But please not to take it personal, I wanted to share this information to all others as I had spent time on statement about 140% track utilization between Thirussur and Guruvayur.

The summary is below. if you need a full analysis then you need to wait for 20 years to 1056 pages report :P

I had refered train schedules, there are 5 trains arriving and 5 departing.
Looked at the satellite image between Thirussur and Guruvayur.

Assume working hours is only 0600hrs to 0000hrs. (running trains between midnight to next day morning may not be efficient, and so in afternoon)

There is no crossings possible in between those stations. so if any train leaves any of the stations, then track is full.

There are other limitations like Guruvayur has only one platform and one loop line to swtich the engine.
And it had only one yard that can take only one train to be stopped in that yard. so if Guruvayur is have two trains then, until the train engine is switched and reaches Thirussur track is full. (there is painful way to receive one more train at GUV)

The distance is 23 km and would take 40 mins (only for running time) with one station called Punkunnam(I could not find it in the map, so assuming no loop line there).

Now you try to schedule the trains and you will find that how maximum the track is used. (Remember adding trains in the afternoon is possible but might not be cost effective in terms of number of passengers)

After it tell me too ;-), Because I didn't get how MS-GUV reaching at 0640 and GUV-ERS leaving at 0650 with one platfrom. Are they by default assuming MS-GUV will be delayed? or is it also a painful way? or am I missing GUV has two platform?

If trains are delayed then track usage will be more.

--Bless

[Arul Murugan]

Originally Posted by Bless

Arul,
I don't know whether you love this post or hate it, but I hope others will classify it as street fight/cat fight/dog fight (sorry I cannot help). But please not to take it personal, I wanted to share this information to all others as I had spent time on statement about 140% track utilization between Thirussur and Guruvayur.

The summary is below. if you need a full analysis then you need to wait for 20 years to 1056 pages report :P

I had refered train schedules, there are 5 trains arriving and 5 departing.
Looked at the satellite image between Thirussur and Guruvayur.

Assume working hours is only 0600hrs to 0000hrs. (running trains between midnight to next day morning may not be efficient, and so in afternoon)

Guruvayur does not comes under halt station category if I am correct! So railways can very well operate trains departing and arriving any time from 00:00 to 23:59. But I am wondering why railways is not even coming up with allowing the trains entering the Guruvayur atleast by 05:00AM for early darshan. So it is not the matter of efficient, it matters about SR's schedule.

There is no crossings possible in between those stations. so if any train leaves any of the stations, then track is full.

There are other limitations like Guruvayur has only one platform and one loop line to swtich the engine.
And it had only one yard that can take only one train to be stopped in that yard. so if Guruvayur is have two trains then, until the train engine is switched and reaches Thirussur track is full. (there is painful way to receive one more train at GUV)

The distance is 23 km and would take 40 mins (only for running time) with one station called Punkunnam(I could not find it in the map, so assuming no loop line there).

Now you try to schedule the trains and you will find that how maximum the track is used. (Remember adding trains in the afternoon is possible but might not be cost effective in terms of number of passengers)

If we go by schedule the trains on track i.e operation is for 7hrs excluding the stabling time.

24-7 = 17hrs.

And if we assume your working time: Another 6hrs gone. So still we have 11hrs. And if we give 3hrs(normal time given for most of the lines) for track maintenance daily, we have still 8hrs left. If we consider 4hrs for train arr/dep at Guruvayur, another 4hrs is left out for achieving 100% track utilization.

And what is the relation between cost effectiveness and line capacity? Can you please tell me, really I could not relate both. If it is loss or profit for railways, I don't think railways relate it too line capacity.

After it tell me too ;-), Because I didn't get how MS-GUV reaching at 0640 and GUV-ERS leaving at 0650 with one platfrom. Are they by default assuming MS-GUV will be delayed? or is it also a painful way? or am I missing GUV has two platform?

If trains are delayed then track usage will be more.

--Bless

I don't think schedules are made like that purposefully delaying the trains. Even I am not aware how many PFs are there in GUV.

[Arul Murugan]

Originally Posted by Trichy_Arun

Arul,

Any idea of what is the track utilisation between Trichy - Villupuram? It will be in excess during peak hours.

Thanks.

I dont have exact figures Arun, since it is a single line, the capacity utilization may be more than 150%.

Coimbatore - Erode section line capacity utilization of 145.9%

[Arul Murugan]

http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/Bud.../SR-Assets.pdf

Pink book of railways.

SR asked for 1600 crores for targeting some vital projects

The major pending projects in Tamil Nadu are, laying of new lines between Karur and Salem, Tindivanam and Tiruvannamalai, Erode and Palani, and Attipattu and Puttur; gauge conversion from Tirunelveli to Tenkasi, Manamadurai to Virudhunagar, Dindigul to Podanur via Pollachi, Madurai to Bodinayakanur, and Punalur to Senkottai; Ennore-Attipattu, Chennai Beach – Attipattu (4th line), Tiruvallur-Arakkonam (4th line), and Chengalpattu –Villupuram (doubling).

Finally SR gets 600-650 crores considering all new lines, GC and doubling projects. We should remember that SR was getting 1000 crores approx for last 10years.

So the railway infrastructure improving in state will be very slow in coming years when compared to past.

[barrykul]

This gauge conversion project has been taking forever. PVN Rao started with the concept and Unigauge is a good goal for India. The British seemed to have favoured Meter Gauge throughout the South of TN, which is quite unfortunate. Rapid economic activity is possible with free movement of goods/people throughout India. Unigauge should be on the front burner but our Netas/Babus in IR are simply sitting on their duffs and letting things go at a snail's pace. Electrification is another important goal to achieve for IR tracks. Instead of making profits and paying dividends the IR should use every last Rs to speed up infrastructure development. Maybe borrow vast sums to invest in the crumbling IR infrastructure. Railway stations are old and ancient, never totally remodeled since the British left. The operating trains save for a few are at best a junk pile. Given all these realities, Netas are behaving like ostriches with head dunked in sand dunes. A few bleeps on more trains, favorite relocation of IR junk workshops to their states, a few more marginally spruced up railway stations for their states. I noticed in the budget for IR, an innovative financing scheme involving private parties. Both MMS and Karuna have endorsed this, which makes me believe that is yet another scheme/avenue for politicians to demand a cut in the tender process. Corruption seems to be galloping at a tremendous pace, yet the hapless citizens of India are left with little to hope for.

[Bless]

Originally Posted by Arul Murugan

Guruvayur does not comes under halt station category if I am correct! So railways can very well operate trains departing and arriving any time from 00:00 to 23:59. But I am wondering why railways is not even coming up with allowing the trains entering the Guruvayur atleast by 05:00AM for early darshan.

Niether I know about Guruvayur nor about the passangers there.
But either by the maps (track is not extended beyond guruvayur) or by railway timetable its very clear that it is halt station.
At 0000-0640AM there are already two trains in GUV waiting to leave. One train must leave GUV immediately if we wanted to receive one more train.

If I (As an out state person) wanted Darshan at 5am, I would stay overnight in GUV itself than staying in TCR and catching train at 4am. so it would only help those in TCR, if not much population from TCR wanted to start at 4am. it will not be useful.
And on the other hand to receive a train at 5AM, one train must leave GUV, howmany will prefer to leave GUV at 5am? if only few, then I would not advise just playing empty train at 5 am.

I started this discussion with,

Thirussur-Guruvayur line is mentioned by SR as 140% saturated line, but there is no freight trains operation in that line and only one express and 3-4 passenger trains are in operation. Dont know how come that would be 140% saturated line.

I felt this is sarcastic, (if it was not, I'm sorry, I'll pull back my postings) but now we come to the satage that we spare only 4 hours (that too on non peak hours) and could add only two more round trips.

But if we consider the planned execution on the track is only 10 hours (excluding track maintainance) out of 24 hrs then this is already at 100% utilization when trains are not delayed.
(with 7 hours stabling + 3 hrs for preparations time like shifing the engines for all 10 trains, moving the trains between yard and platform etc, it could be even more, like only empty engines going to TCR and come back.) when trains are delayed its overutilized according to plan of 10 hours of usage.

however If we add one loop line between 11th and 12th km its utilization would come down at least by 25% (A little bit cautious in giving figure).

Unless we know about the complete operations and its difficulties, we should be careful about commenting on statistics provided by (proven)analtically-skilled railway employees.

PS: I don't have anything to defend Cost (Vs) Track utilization.
--Bless

[Brand coimbatore]

I saw few days back that our hon CM telling that he is very happy about the railway budget and thanking mamtha for including chennai central for making world class.
How he could say this, all he knows is chennai central and rest of the cities in the state are in mars or jupiter for him. Karnataka getting 8 trains n 3 stations included in world class list is not satisfied with its list despite having very less MP's from ruling party. But C our hon CM , telling that TN has got a fair deal in the railway budget.

I would have been happy if he had demanded something for the state.

[krishnancv]

That's the difference between a ruling party ally and opposition party.

[Rasnaboy]

Southern Railway to write to Railway Board

CHENNAI: Insufficient allotment of funds for the current financial year in the recent railway budget may delay the completion of various on-going conversion projects in the State. Southern Railway had demanded Rs.611 crore for gauge conversion projects alone but it received Rs.245 crore for the current financial year.

Already the zone had spent Rs.135 crore out of Rs.234.8 crore allotted in the interim budget submitted in February. Available funds for the entire year will be Rs.10 crore only. As the zone may not have sufficient funds to spend for gauge conversion projects, Southern Railway is to write to the Railway Board requesting allotment of more funds for these projects.

According to a senior official of the zone, the Vellore-Villupuram gauge conversion is one of the targeted projects as per the railway budget. But it received Rs.50 crore as against the requirement of Rs.105 crore. Already track linking work is over. Welding, packing of ballasts and station building works were to be completed.

For the Manamadurai–Virudhunagar gauge conversion, the zone asked for Rs.60 crore, but the allotment was only Rs.21 crore. Another major project which did not receive sufficient funds was Dindigul-Pollachi-Palakkadu. Traffic on the section had been closed and contractors had been fixed for the entire stretch. As against the requirement of Rs.175 crore for the current year, the Ministry sanctioned Rs.31 crore.

The zone planned to complete the conversion of Mayiladuthurai–Tiruvarur line by December 2010 to provide direct BG link from Chennai to Nagore. For this, the zone sought Rs.60 crore but the allotment was only Rs.15 crore.

New lines

For new lines as against the demand of Rs.250 crore, the allotment was Rs.161.73 crore.

The official said that this year the zone wanted to complete the Salem-Namakkal stretch of Salem–Karur new line project. For this, the zone required at least Rs.150 crore. But the allotment was Rs.36 crore. The zone had to divert funds from other new line projects to complete Salem-Namakkal stretch.

For doubling projects, the Ministry had sanctioned Rs.239 crore in the interim budget, which was reduced to Rs.217 crore in the main budget. The zone would demand additional funds for completing Chengalpattu–Villupuram doubling projects.

The official said as on date about 1,000 km of metre gauge lines were to be converted and the required fund would be about Rs.2700 crore. The annual allotment should be of the order of Rs.500 crore if the projects had to be completed in five years.

But with the current allotment it would take another 10 years for completing the projects, the official added.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/12/stor...1254920500.htm

[calculus_ask]

CONGRESS IS SHOWING ITS ORIGINAL FACE FOR TAMIL NADU......
WHY SHOULD FUNDS ARE REDUCED WHEN ALREADY ALLOCATED... DISAPPOINTED

[Arul Murugan]

What about state ruling party which is a part of central gvt?