Chapter 1 Freight services in Indian Railways - Comptroller and ...

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Report No .8 of 2010-11 (Railways) • The unloading line at Ennore Port Limited siding in SR was partially wired to suit unloading by poclain cranes, which necessitated shunt moves for placement and removal of wagons. The consequential loss of Rs.9.19 crore due to detentions to wagons was not getting compensated as the siding was declared as an independent booking point. IR accepted (March 2010) that the sudden jump in loading in the period under review resulted in shortages of locomotives and rolling stock and that currently the number of driving units in the system was substantially less than the number of rakes and thus detentions to rakes were unavoidable. Though IR claimed that by prioritizing facilities at terminals, detentions were reduced, Audit observed that the average detention from the placement of rake to their release continued to be beyond the envisaged time of 16 hours in a substantial number of terminals, indicating that the loading/unloading facilities were deficient in the freight terminals. Leveraging Information Technology Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) was developed by IR with a view to computerise freight operations and to provide a wide range of information to enable planning, direction and control of freight operations as well as to provide a real time view of transactions. IT Audit of FOIS was conducted across IR to assess the system design, reliability and timely availability of basic operating data, Information Systems controls and security environment. The detailed findings are reported separately in Chapter 2. Broadly, it was seen that the system was largely being utilised to generate Railway Receipts. The system design was not comprehensive, the master data bases contained numerous errors and the system was not serving as a tool for decision making. Even though exhaustive details of demands of customers were captured to assess the load and to facilitate decisions on allotment of rakes using FOIS, decisions were taken manually defeating the very objective of capturing such exhaustive details. Further, comparative analysis of manual data on detentions vis-à-vis the data reported through FOIS pertaining to nine terminals in SCR (whose details were only made available) indicated that the detentions details reported by FOIS were mostly understated and the extent of understatement ranged from 15 minutes to 32 hours, which indicated that the information was unreliable. Similarly, in ER, detention details were understated by FOIS ranging from 38 minutes to 57 hours in 21 out of 23 terminals. IR in its reply (March 2010) stated that the discrepancies in reporting of detentions would be eliminated with full implementation of TMS along with control charting. IR also mentioned that zones were being advised to take appropriate measures to strengthen the internal checks. Free time allowance IR reduced the free time for loading/unloading from nine to seven hours at thermal sidings. The Committee constituted by Ministry of Power (June 2008) reviewed the infrastructure at 38 thermal power house sidings across IR and 18
Chapter 1 Freight Services in Indian Railways concluded that the infrastructure was designed reckoning the free time as nine hours and therefore the reduction to seven hours was impracticable due to space and funding constraints. Unless IR initiates concerted action with the Ministries of Coal and Power, detentions of rolling stock beyond seven hours would continue to occur. IR in its reply (March 2010) stated that the lower free time was prescribed to ensure faster release of wagons, which would correspondingly lead to greater availability of wagons for loading. However, since the Ministries of Coal and Power consider it impracticable with the current infrastructure, IR needs to initiate concerted action with these Ministries on priority for ensuring adherence to the prescribed free time allowance. Feedback of terminal/siding owners A majority of the 173 respondents to the survey of siding owners echoed similar sentiments as 52 per cent of them felt that mechanised loading/unloading facility was not available in terminals and that the free time allowed for loading was inadequate. 50 per cent of the respondents however expressed satisfaction over the approach roads, lighting, stacking area and the working hours at terminals. However, a significant 42 to 47 per cent of them felt that these facilities were inadequate. Thus even major freight terminals across IR that handle more than 30 rakes every month were deficient in basic facilities. Modernisation of terminals by enhancement of facilities has not been fully implemented by the zones in most of the terminals leading to heavy terminal detentions of rolling stock. The objective of reducing detentions due to loading and unloading operations below 16 hours has not been achieved. Freight Operations Information System in its present state was not serving as a decision making tool. Recommendations IR needs to expeditiously provide the basic facilities in all freight terminals. IR should ensure that its initiative of modernisation of freight terminals is effectively implemented in the zones to minimise rolling stock detentions at freight terminals. The system design and reliability of the Freight Operations Information System needs to be enhanced so that the IT application serves as a decision making tool as envisaged. 1.9.1.3 Capacity enhancement IR projected freight traffic of 1,100 million tonnes by the terminal year of the XI plan (2011-2012). To handle the projected traffic volume, IR assessed that capacity augmentation and throughput enhancement works were essential and identified capacity augmentation and throughput enhancement works. IR also identified works for improving the rail connectivity with ports. Upgradation of the permanent way was planned to cater to the enhanced loading strategy. These works were over and above the works required to develop the Dedicated Freight Corridor. The overall annual outlay on capacity enhancement works ranged from Rs.4,365 crore in 2005-06 to Rs.8,650 crore in 2007-08. 19
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