Khandelwal-Sense at Work: An Expensive Fastening System from Small Vendor Base-Atleast not for Railway Safety

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The Hidden Dangers of Track #Fastening System promoted by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Editor’s note: When Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw gave demo of an old fastening system and declared it to be the choice of Indian Railways, there were flurry of calls and messages from civil engineers-both serving and retired. Even those who have not been in touch reached out and vented their frustration and anxiety.

Many said, in case MR himself promotes a product, how can that be ever evaluated with even hand? One can argue with bosses, but not the #mantri. Some retired officers shared the back story as how this option was purposefully overruled by #RDSO in past. Listening from senior civil engineering officers retired as general managers and members was humbling to us. The #technical details they got in to and their concern reminded that this organisation surely deserves better.

We combine various messages and present you this article-

Golden lessons:

  • Minister should not promote or advertise a product.
  • A member on verge of retirement should not take such sweeping decisions.

The Alarm

Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister for Railways giving demo of new fastening system at Rail Bhawan

There was #YouTube-interview of the #Minister where he was seen extolling the virtues of the ‘new’ rail #fastening system.

MR endorsing an old fastening system

This #interview was followed by the interview of the #Member-Infrastructure who retires on 30 September this year.

One gathered that #IndianRailways has decided to ditch time tested #elastic-clip fastenings commonly referred as #ERC-clips or just #Pandrol-clips.

This was ground shattering announcement. New #fastening sytem now would need new #sleepers-and let that sink in-we are looking at millions of sleepers as each kilometer of #track needs much more than one thousand sleepers. The implication of this decision just in money terms is in tens of thousands of crores and that entire money goes to very small number of vendors.

How new is this fastening system?

The new system is not new..

Existing fastening system
Proposed fastening system (tension clamp fastening system)

On paper several schemes give very good results. Even Mr Sreedharan’s recommendation was found wanting. See #IndiaToday report of 2012-

Metro ex-boss E. #Sreedharan backed ‘faulty’ clamps which derailed airport line: “The Rail ministry had twice declined DMRC’s plea to use the faulty German clamps on Metro Airport Express Line”

Following is a photograph of one such failed fastening on Airport Express Metro Line under #DMRC control – “Highspeed Derailment”

Broken fastening clamp on Delhi Airport Metro line of the type MR has endorsed

The officers who spoke to us are anxious as these decisions have very far reaching impact in terms of money and effort needed to undo as this choice impacts every single #Sleeper that Indian Railways would be putting on its tracks.

Security Risk not Discussed

The design per se is more amenable to #tampering by #vandals and #inimical forces as the system can be very easily tampered with without making sound using portable machines.

Why arguments given by member infrastructure do not add up

Many arguments have been given by #MemberInfra on how ‘new’ system will improve track geometry. Question is why IR not able to improve quality of existing sleepers? Why cannot IR reduce the tolerances which will lead to superior consistency in track parameters? With bio toilets, the track corrosion has substantially come down. Also, with increased #sleeper density, better #quality sleepers of existing design with existing fasteners will give very good performance without doubt.

Further argument given that there are so many fastener and fitting manufacturers that quality cannot be maintained. This can not be accepted. It is fact that poor quality track fittings (fasteners, liners, elastomeric pads) get routinely supplied and applied. Can not IR locate a group of officers with unimpeachable integrity and with good understanding of engineering, who can be deployed to do random sample checks across IR network. In case the #fittings are not meeting desired specified #criteria, the responsible officers-who accepted poor quality fittings should be thrown out applying rule 14/2 summarily.

Conclusion

The fittings endorsed by MR are neither new and have in past not recommended by RDSO. We know that IR culturally finds it difficult to oppose board and minister. In this case MInfra lacks #credibility to command respect of his officers and timing of decision seems too suspicious.

In past, #SudheerKumar used #RailMinister to endorse #Madhepura’s locomotive which delivers 30% less tractive effort while being double the price of same powered #locomotives manufactured by IR’s in-house units. That is the reason we see parallel of #SudheerSense in this case.

It is said that Mr #Khandelwal is trying to push this #technology to convince #government to back his bid to become next #Chairman/#CEO of #RailwayBoard. To do so he has promised what cannot be achieved by this ‘new’ fastening system as the #promises and #claims made are not practical. Further, there is smell of a possible big #scam in this decision.

#System today desperately needs professional-integrity and disciplined working by going back to basics. Railway #Safety will not be improved in any manner by such expensive ill thought of decisions. To continue..