UN-ESCAP Regional Meeting for Cooperation on Facilitation of

International Railway Transport

Manoj Kumar SrivastavaExecutive Director / Perspective Planning

Ministry of RailwaysGovernment of India

13-15 October, 2014

Trans Asian Railway (TAR)

• India signed the agreement on 29th June 2007 and ratified the same on 13th September 2007

• Corridor passing through India and South Asia is Southern Corridor.

• It connects Turkey, through Myanmar,Bangladesh,India,Pakistan,Iran with Sri Lanka also part of the corridor.

Importance of TAR route for the region

• The inter-regional connectivity in South and South East Asia is of prime importance today not only for India but also for all its neighbours for trade, tourism and movement of people to bring in cultural proximity as well as economic opportunities.

• The Southern Corridor of TAR has the potential of vitalizing the routes that will link major trading centers of countries, ports, national capitals, and the land-locked regions for growth of trade.

• There are missing links of the Southern corridor which need to be completed to realise the potential of the region.

Trans-Asian Railway Corridor in India

- On the Eastern side TAR link enters India at Moreh, exits at Mahisasan in Assam re-enters India at Gede and exits at Attari

- The Missing link between Jiribam to Imphal under construction. Survey has been completed for the portion between Imphal to Moreh on the Indo-Myanmar border.

- M/s. RITES Ltd. submitted its offer for DPR to MEA for the rail link for the Moreh (India) – Tamu (Myanmar) – Kaley (Myanmar)

Existing International Links of India

• With Bangladesh via Gede-Darsana,Singabad-Rohanpur and Benapole-Petrapole

• With Nepal via Raxaul-Birganj• For Sri Lanka rail cum sea connectivity exists

up to Rameswaram, Cochin and Tuticorin• With Pakistan via Atari-Wagha and via

Munabao-Khokharapar

Existing Passenger servicesIndia Pakistan

• Samjhauta Express runs between Attari (India) – Lahore (Pakistan) via Wagah

• Frequency – bi-weekly Ex Attari - Monday and Thursday Ex. Lahore – Tuesday and Friday

• Thar Express runs between from Munabao (India) to Zero point near Khokhrapar (Pakistan) on every Saturday from both sides

Existing Passenger servicesIndia Bangladesh

• Maitree Express run between Kolkata – Dhaka since April 2008

• Frequency – Bi-weeklyEx. Kolkata – Tuesday and SaturdayEx. Dhaka – Wednesday and Friday

• Journey TimeKolkata – Dhaka 10 hrs. 25 minuteDhaka –Kolkata 10 hrs. 30 minutes

New Connectivity Projects of India• For connectivity with Bangladesh

Agartala - Akhaura New Line (Trans Asian Railways missing linksegment) is under implementation.

• For connectivity with Nepal two projects have beensanctioned: Jogbani-Biratnagar link Jayanagar-Bijalpura Gauge Conversion with extension to

Bardibas• For Connectivity with Myanmar

Jiribam-Imphal new link is under construction and a Survey hasalso been completed for linking Imphal – Moreh - This link willconnect Indian Railways with Myanmar Railways in future.

• For connectivity with Sri Lanka Ferry service to be established between Rameshwaram/Tuticorin

(India) and Talaimannar (Sri Lanka)

India Nepal New Lines Surveyed

From To Distance( in Kms.)

Jogbani(India)

Biratnagar(Birat nagar)

18

Jayanagar( India)

Bijalpura (Nepal ) & extn. To Bardibas

69

Nepalganj Road( India)

Nepalganj(Nepal)

12

Nautanwa (India) Bhairahawa(Nepal)

15

New Jalpaiguri(India)

Kakarbhita via Panittanki( Nepal)

46

India – Bhutan New lines Surveyed

From To Distance( in Kms.)

Hasimara (India) Phuentsholing (Bhutan) 18

Rangia (India) Samdrupjongkhar Via Darranga (Bhutan)

48

Kokrajhar (India) Gelephu (Bhutan) 58

Banarhat (India) Samtse (Bhutan) 23

Pathshala (India) Nanglam (Bhutan) 51

Colombo (Sri Lanka) - Chennai (India) 1025 kms.

Challenges for development of International Corridors

Technical (Inter-operability)• Gauge• Axle load• Holding capacity in yards /stations • Moving dimension of rolling stock • Traction system• Rolling stock & Braking system• Maintenance practises Non Technical- Documentation – Multiple v/s Single- Revenue sharing - Customs/immigration - Safety and security

Salient Features of ProposedSAARC Regional Rail Agreement

• Development of missing links/new links - for seamless movement

• A basic standard of technical characteristics common to all the SAARC countries

• Standardization of documentation and customs procedure• Maintenance and Operating Arrangements• Communication facilities – Dedicated lines• Safety & Security of Trains, on the originating/terminating

points as well as in Transit• Aim of having common Railway Receipt/ Passenger Ticket

for movement on the regional network• Visa facilities – Multiple entry visa valid for one year for

Railway personnel on duty

Indian Railways Overview

• Lifeline of the nation – IR carries one third of the total freight traffic (tonne kilometers) of the country It carries…• 70% of all Coal

• 81% of all Fertilizer

• 56% of all Iron Ore

• 46% of all Cement

• 22% of all POL

• 18% of all Foodgrain• Employs 1.33 million directly and several times more through forward &

backward linkages• Complexity of Operations

• Intense Freight-Passenger interaction on common infrastructure

• High Density Corridor (Golden Quadrilateral + Diagonals) 16% of route Km carries 52% of passenger & 58 % of freight

• Electrified Routes (30.4%) carries 64.3% GTKM

IR – Role & Characteristic

Network Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors

(3300 km) New Lines – 4000 km Doubling – 7653 kmGauge Conversion – 5500 km Electrification – 6500 kmUpgrade speed on existing lines Develop High speed Corridors New terminals and terminal development

Capacity Augmentation for the next 5 years

Rolling Stock Wagons -1,05,659 Coaches - 24,000 Electric locomotives - 2000 Diesel locomotives – 2010 High horsepower locomotives New diesel and electric locomotive factories High capacity wagons

Investment Plan - 100 billion US Dollar

Capacity Augmentation for the next 5 years

Challenges facing the Rail Sector

• Increasing Rail Share of transport• Fare-Freight ratio• Cross subsidisation• Capacity creation on the Railways• Investment in the Railways-Budgetary support/internal• Private investment in the Railways including FDI in Rail Sector• Early commissioning of freight corridors, serving new industrial

corridors• High speed passenger corridors• Organisational structure & Reforms – Policy Maker, Regulator,

Infrastructure Owner, operator, handling non-core activities

IR schemes for raising funds for Infrastructure

Rail Connectivity/ Capacity 

Augmentation

‐ Policy of participative 

models‐ Cost Sharing with 

States

Container Train 

Operations

Container Train 

Operators

Terminal Facilities

‐Private Freight Terminals‐Station 

redevelopment

Other Assets

‐Wagon Investment Schemes‐Loco Factory

Rail Connectivity/Capacity Augmentation

Cabinet Approved Participative Policy of December 2012 has 5 different models

1. Non Governmental Private line model2. JV model3. BOT through competitive bidding4. Capacity Augmentation through Customer funding5. Capacity Augmentation through – Annuity model

Dedicated Freight Corridors

THANK YOU