Latest news with #UnionRailways
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Upcoming Kazipet Railway Manufacturing Unit to make train sets for export
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said indigenously made 150 Vandebharat trains are slated for export with the first train set already flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More railway rolling stock, including metro coaches, are getting export orders and the upcoming ₹521.26 crore mega Kazipet Railway Manufacturing Unit is going to play a key role once it is commissioned in 2026, he told the media at the factory site on Saturday (July 19, 2025). What will be manufactured there? The civil works will be completed by December as there is good progress in the factory construction which is being built with a flexible design to manufacture engines, coaches, wagons and metro train sets, said the Minister. Direct employment to 3,000 people Union Minister for Coal & Mines G Kishan Reddy said the railway unit will provide direct employment to about 3,000 persons and indirect jobs to many more with region expected to benefit economically with several ancillary industries likely to come up. Locals will be considered for employment with State government recommendation. Relief and rehabilitation measures for affected farmers will be done through the district collector, he said. Mr. Reddy thanked Prime Minister Modi and Mr. Vaishnaw for allocating the factory to Warangal and Telangana. It was a reflection of Centre's commitment towards development of the region and those questioning him and his party for contribution to the State should witness the unit, he said. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone for the facility two years ago on July 2023. The project was entrusted to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) on turnkey basis with project execution by PowerMech-Taikishna JV. Full fledged rail manufacturing unit From initial plan to make rolling stock of different varieties, it was decided to make the facility into a full fledged Rail Manufacturing Unit which will also make 200 MEMU train (mainline electric multiple units) rakes of 16 cars each, said railway officials. Spread over 160.04 acres The manufacturing unit is coming up on a 160.04 acres of land provided by the State Government with pre-engineered shed of 60,933 A main shop floor with four bays, 13 km of internal rail network, 1 mwp shed roof solar plant, etc., will form part of the project. The MEMU rakes to be made here will be equipped with three phase propulsion system with operating speed of 130 kmph. They will be equipped with automatic door closing, non AC enclosure with roof top ventilation along with LED displays and Kavach - automatic train protection system, they added. The Ministers duo later in the evening flagged off the inaugural run of daily train between Kacheguda and Jodhpur in the presence of senior railway officials.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Ashwini Vaishnaw Shares 1st "Breakthrough" In Undersea Bullet Train Tunnel
The construction of the first 2.7-km stretch of India's ambitious 21-km undersea bullet train tunnel has been completed. Located between Ghansoli and Shilphata, the section is a part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor that will connect Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Thane. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the development on X, calling it the "first breakthrough" in the undersea tunnel's construction. He also posted images of the nearly completed segment. "First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 km) of the Bullet train project," the minister wrote on X. First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 kms) of the Bullet train project! ????between Ghansoli & Shilphata in Maharashtra — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 14, 2025 The MAHSR corridor, India's first bullet train route, is being developed with Japanese Shinkansen technology and promises to redefine rail travel with speeds of up to 320 kmph, drastically cutting travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about two hours. Japan has agreed to introduce its next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains on the MAHSR corridor. These high-speed trains will debut simultaneously in Japan and India, according to the Railway Ministry. The E10 Shinkansen, Japan's most advanced bullet train, will replace the E5 series in Japan and operate for the first time outside Japan on India's 508-km high-speed route. It is known for its enhanced safety systems and superior speed capabilities. Engineers have completed 310 km of viaducts, 15 river bridges, and five of the 12 planned stations. Three more stations are nearing completion. The BKC station in Mumbai stands out as a major engineering feat. Being built 32.5 metres underground, the station will have a foundation strong enough to support a 95-metre-high commercial building above it, making it one of the most structurally complex transit hubs in the country. Simultaneous work on laying tracks, installing overhead electrical systems, and setting up operational and signalling infrastructure is in progress.
News18
5 days ago
- Business
- News18
First Section Of Undersea Tunnel Of Bullet Train Between Ghansoli & Shilphata Sees Breakthrough
Last Updated: India's bullet train project hit a milestone, completing a 2.7-km section of a 21-km undersea tunnel between BKC and Thane, using Japanese Shinkansen technology and E10 trains. India's bullet train project has reached a significant milestone with the completion of the first section of a 21-kilometre undersea tunnel between Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Thane. 'First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 kms) of the Bullet train project!" Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote on X. According to a statement from the railways, the 2.7-km tunnel section, part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, has been constructed between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra, Deccan Herald reported. First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 kms) of the Bullet train project!📍between Ghansoli & Shilphata in Maharashtra — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 14, 2025 The 21-kilometre tunnel for India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is being constructed using a combination of two methods. 5 km is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) between Shilphata and Ghansoli, while the remaining will be built using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). The tunnel also includes a 7-km-long undersea section beneath Thane Creek, the Ministry of Railways said in a statement. To speed up the tunnelling process in the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) section, a 2.7-kilometre continuous tunnel section was constructed using an Additional Driven Intermediate Tunnel (ADIT), the statement added. 'Track laying, construction of overhead electrical wires, stations, and bridges is going on at a rapid pace. The construction work in Maharashtra has also picked up pace. In parallel, the progress on procurement of systems for operations and control is also going on well, " the statement said. Indian Railways is constructing the country's first bullet train project using Japanese Shinkansen technology. The Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project, the railways said. Japan's current high-speed rail network is dominated by the E5 series trains, but the country is on the cusp of introducing the next-generation E10 series. 'In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan," the Railways said. The work on 15 river bridges is finished, and work on four is in the advanced stages of construction. Out of 12 stations, five are completed and three more are now reaching completion, it said. 'The station at BKC is an engineering marvel. The station will be located 32.5 m below ground, and the foundation is designed to support the construction of a 95 m high building above ground," the Ministry said. 'The success of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is laying the foundation for future bullet train corridors in India. Future corridors are also under active consideration," it added. view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 23:17 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- The Hindu
Ashwini Vaishnaw reviews safety issues at level crossings after Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore accident
A day after the tragic incident of a passenger train colliding with a school van at a level crossing in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district, which killed three children, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed railway safety matters on July 9 and issued directions for the provision of CCTV systems at all level crossings, officials said. 'It has been directed that CCTV systems should be provided at all the level crossing (LC) gates, along with the necessary recording systems. The power supply for the CCTV should also be made available at the LC gate. The power supply can be based on solar panels, battery backup, UPS etc., in addition to a commercial supply. This activity is to be completed in mission mode,' a senior railway official who attended the review said. Officials said that a 15-day safety inspection drive on the LC gates in block sections has also been launched. At present, there are level crossings where interlocking systems are not available, in which case, at times, after the green signal is given to the train, it may start moving without the gate being closed. 'Fast-tracking interlocking of LC gates in mission mode is to be undertaken,' the official added. A Train Vehicle Unit (TVU) is a measure used in railway operations, specifically at level crossings, to assess the traffic density and prioritise safety measures. It is calculated by multiplying the number of train units by the number of road vehicle units passing through a level crossing within a 24-hour period. In the review meeting, it was decided to lower the TVU threshold for interlocking operations from 20,000 to 10,000, officials said. TVU is used to evaluate the risk level at level crossings and helps in deciding whether to eliminate, merge or man the crossings. It is also an important threshold to understand the need for building Road Over Bridges (ROB) or Road Under Bridges (RUB) to eliminate the risks of accidents. Editorial | Death by negligence: On the railway gate accident in Cuddalore Officials said that Railway PSUs may be involved in interlocking works and construction, and that all gates above 10,000 TVU will be interlocked irrespective of ROBs, RUBs or Limited Height Subway (LHS) plans. Further, for non-interlocked gates, daily random checks of voice recordings will be conducted at least twice per day from each division by Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) using Voice Logger Systems. Instructions were also issued in the review meeting to standardise speed breakers and warning boards at all LC gates, accelerate construction of LHS/RUB/ROB to eliminate LC gates and prepare a list of conflict-prone gates (where public pressures or manhandling happens) where Railway Protection Force or Home Guard deployment is to be ensured. According to 2024 Railway data, there are 17,083 manned level crossings, which are non-interlocking gates and require a person to open and shut gates when a train passes through.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
MPs to jointly push for central fin aid
T'puram: The state will move forward with legislation to address the rising human-wildlife conflict, the state govt informed MPs at a high-level meeting convened by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday. A draft bill is currently under consideration by the state's law department, it was revealed in the meeting. The MPs' conference, held ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, deliberated on a range of pressing issues concerning the state from disaster relief and infrastructure development to financial concerns and environmental conservation. A key decision at the meeting was to take a united stand for the approval of central financial assistance based on the Post-Disaster Need Assessment submitted by the state. The assessment seeks Rs 2,221.10cr for Meppadi in Wayanad district and Rs 98.10cr for Vilangad in Kozhikode, both severely affected by past natural calamities. The MPs also agreed to jointly press the Centre to reinstate Section 13 of the Disaster Management Act, which was previously removed, and to seek urgent amendments to Section 11 of the Wildlife Protection Act. These changes would empower state govts to grant region-specific relaxations based on local needs and help secure central compensation for wildlife-related damages. On railway development, the CM urged the MPs to follow up on the memorandum he had submitted directly to the Union Railways minister. Specific demands include approval for the Thalassery–Mysuru and Nilambur–Nanjangud rail lines, a new line from Kanhangad–Panathur–Kaniyur, advancement of the Angamaly–Erumeli–Sabarimala railway project, and sanctioning of third and fourth railway lines in the state. The CM also called for allocation of funds to extend the Kochi Metro from SN Junction to Tripunithura Metro station. Vijayan underlined the need for coordinated intervention of MPs on financial matters. He flagged the reduction in Kerala's borrowing limit under the guarantee redemption fund, the Rs 965cr shortfall in IGST settlement, and the need to raise the borrowing ceiling to 3.5% of the state's GSDP. He urged the Centre to exempt loans taken by KIIFB and the state pension company from the borrowing cap and allow additional borrowing equivalent to the state's share in the Jal Jeevan Mission outside the current borrowing limit. The meeting also discussed proposals to link the Global City component with the GIFT City (Global Industrial Finance and Trade City) initiative and to seek timely central support for completing connectivity infrastructure. The MPs agreed on the importance of securing viability gap funding for the establishment of logistics parks under the Kochi–Bengaluru industrial corridor. Health-related demands raised at the meeting included the need to expedite the allotment of an AIIMS in Kerala, increase the premium under the Vay Vandana Yojana pension scheme and release the arrears due to the state under the National Health Mission. There was also a demand to grant official health worker status to ASHAs, who form the backbone of the state's community health system. Other crucial issues discussed included retaining the BrahMos missile production facility in Kerala, granting 'point of call' clearance to foreign airlines operating out of Kannur International Airport and the ongoing development of national highways across the state. The MPs also sought upgrades for the Kottapuram–Kozhikode stretch of National Waterway-3, declared as an extension of the national waterway, to meet national standards.
