No.429issue - 英文市场周刊 - 世界轨道交通资讯网-世界轨道行业排名领先的艾莱资讯旗下的专业轨道交通资讯网

India appoints seventh railway minister in four years

INDIA's seventh railway minister in four years Mr Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge took office on June 18, succeeding Mr Pawan Bansal, who resigned on May 10 amid corruption allegations.

Kharge is considered an unlikely figure for the task of pursuing a pro-reform agenda for Indian Railways. The 71-year-old socialist began his political life five decades ago as a trade unionist and has remained committed to the cause of empowering the deprived sections of Indian society.

In his administrative assignments in his home state of Karnataka – and more recently as the Indian labour minister – Kharge has largely been concerned with filling vacancies in government jobs, and he is expected to focus on recruitment for 22,000 unfilled posts at Indian Railways.

"Proposals for opening up production units for private participation or big ticket projects such as the high-speed rail are unlikely to get a big push forward in the coming months", a senior ministry official said.

With India's next general election scheduled for the start of next year, Kharge's tenure is likely to last only around six months, and he will not have the opportunity to present the next railway budget.

Nonetheless, supporters insist he will make an impact on Indian Railways. "It would be a fallacy to consider him a stopgap railway minister," a source close to the new Minister said. "He reads files meticulously; has a hands-on approach and will make the best use of the time available to him."

Kharge spelt out his priorities on June 18, saying that "filling vacancies on the Railway Board would be his first priority." Three key management positions, including the post of chairman, railway board will become vacant this month and there has been intensive lobbying among the candidates for these positions in recent weeks.

After months of controversy and scandal, another immediate focus will be to restore stability to Indian Railways.

Hitachi selects energy metering system for IEP

HITACHI Rail Europe has awarded Saira Electronics a contract to supply the on-train metering systems (OTM) for the fleet of Super Express Trains (SETs) ordered under Britain's Intercity Express Programme.

The 25kV OTMs will allow real-time monitoring of energy consumption on the trains, meaning operators will be charged for actual current usage instead of modelled power consumption. Hitachi says the system will also allow the operator to understand where and when energy is consumed, provide evaluation of regenerative braking performance, and optimise the performance of onboard systems such as lighting and air-conditioning.

The OTM will be compliant with Railway Group Standard GM/RT2132 and European Standard EN 50463 (railway applications – energy management on board trains).

Hitachi is expected to deliver a total of 596 Super Express Train (SET) vehicles, which will replace most of the 200km/h High Speed Trains (HSTs) used on the Great Western Main Line (phase 1) and East Coast Main Line (phase 2). Financial close was reached last year on the initial phase, which comprises 21 nine-car electric trains and 36 five-car bi-mode trains for the Great Western franchise (369 vehicles). The second phase contract, which is still to be concluded, will include 12 five-car electric trains, 10 five-car bi-mode trains, and 13 nine-car bi-mode trains for the East Coast franchise (227 vehicles).

Alstom unveils first LRV for Dubai Al Sufouh Tramway

THE first of 11 Citadis 402 low-floor LRVs for Dubai’s Al Sufouh Tramway was presented to Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) chairman His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer at Alstom’s La Rochelle plant on June 14.

The 44m-long vehicles have been designed for operation in extreme climatic conditions and accommodate up to 408 passengers.

The initial 10km phase of the Al Sufouh Tramway is due to open by the end of next year, and the line will be the first to be electrified entirely with Alstom's APS ground-level power supply system, which was pioneered in Bordeaux.

Alstom will deliver a further 14 LRVs for the second 4km phase.

Rolling stock and fixed installations will be maintained by a consortium of Alstom and Cofely Besix FM under a 13-year €120m contract signed in February 2012.

KTX operations to split in Korail reforms

THE Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has unveiled plans to reform Korail over the next four years, which will create new business units under a holding company structure.

According to a report in the Korea Herald on June 14, Korail will establish a new subsidiary before the end of the year to operate new KTX services which will be launched in 2015 following the completion of the Honam and Suseo high-speed lines. This follows the recommendations of a review committee last month which suggested that competition could be introduced on the high-speed network if the operation of KTX services is split between two independent Korail subsidiaries.

A railfreight business unit will be established in 2015, and two separate train maintenance subsidiaries will also be created in 2015 and 2017.

The ministry expects the reforms to generate annual savings of up to Won 650bn ($US 550m). Korail accumulates an average deficit of around Won 550bn per year, and the company's debts totalled Won 13.5 trillion at the end of 2011.

The plans were due to be revealed at a public hearing in Seoul on June 14, but the event was blocked by union members who fear the proposals are being implemented as a prelude to privatisation.

The ministry has previously considered allocating the operation of new high-speed services to private companies, although media reports suggest these proposals were deeply unpopular with voters.

China simplifies rail freight procedures as reform begins

The central government plans to reform its railway freight industry to boost efficiency and drive down costs in the fragmented logistics sector.

The reforms, which took effect on Saturday, are expected to simplify railway freight procedures and provide customers with better service.

The move is the first of a series of measures planned by China Railway Corp for the next few years as it faces pressure to boost demand for railway freight services and turn itself into an efficient and profitable business.

The mainland is investing in high-speed railway networks. It will spend up to 1.9 trillion yuan (HK$2.4 trillion) on high-speed railways in the five years to 2015. The railway freight business, however, is shrinking.

Ministry of Transport statistics show railway freight volume dropped 0.7 per cent to 3.9 billion tonnes last year because of economic weakness and less demand for coal. The trend continued this year, with freight traffic falling 0.8 per cent in the first quarter.

"We must turn from being a bulk-goods-focused transport service provider to being a full-service logistics provider," Sheng Guangzu, a general manager at China Railway, said last month.

Railway freight services on the mainland are notorious for their complicated application procedures, long waiting times and inefficiency.

Under the reform plan, customers will be able to arrange cargo delivery through a hotline and online platforms, in addition to traditional counter services.

China Railway, while guaranteeing sufficient transport capacity for bulk goods, such as coal and petroleum, also promises to offer prompt service for customers with goods such as electrical equipment and daily necessities.

The state-owned railway operator also vowed to draft a transport plan based on customers' needs and to make pricing more transparent.

The company's subsidiaries in provinces such as Guangdong, Hunan and Hainan are among the first to launch door-to-door services that include the collecting, loading, packing, processing and delivering of goods.

Previously, clients were required to deliver and pick up their goods at train stations themselves. Guangdong Railway Corp is working on "seamless transition" so as to integrate rail, sea and air transport.

China Railway was formed in March when Beijing eliminated the Ministry of Railways and split the commercial and administrative operations of the national railway network.

The company inherited the railway assets and 2.66 trillion yuan in outstanding liabilities.

Corruption Trial of China's Former Railway Minister to Start Sunday

The trial of Liu Zhijun, the former Minister of Railways, who was removed from his position as the ministry's Communist Party Secretary in February 2011 on suspicion of "severe disciplinary violations," will begin in Beijing on Jun 9, according to a report carried on the website of the Beijing News.

The article said that lawyer Qian Lieyang, who will be representing Mr. Liu, confirmed that the trial would start in Beijing on Sunday.

The former minister is accused of abusing his position and receiving bribes. The case will be heard by the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court.

Background on the Liu Zhijun Case

According to an earlier EO report, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) decision to investigate Liu was connected to two other investigations into individuals with links to China's railway industry.

The first is that of a Shanxi businesswoman and philanthropist Ding Shumiao, who, according to a Caixin Media report, was taken away for investigation in January this year.

The other is that Luo Jinbao, the former chairman of both the China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. (CRCT) and the listed China Railway Tielong Container Logistics Co., Ltd.. The Economic Observer reported on the investigation into Luo Jinbao by the CCDI in early January this year.

The cases revealed that corruption involving vast sums were present in China's high-speed rail sector, with almost 10 billion Chinese yuan involved and multiple listed companies implicated, the reprecussions could go as far as to shake up the organization of the country's railway system.

The EO has also learned that it was when Luo Jinbao's case was first uncovered by the CCDI that serious problems with corruption in the high-speed rail sector, including interference and illegal practice in the awarding of contracts and also the wanton acceptance of bribes, were exposed.

Travel the Silk Road with rail packages for Russia and China

RUSSIAN travel experts Beyond Travel have introduced a new brochure to their collection, specialising in independent rail packages to assist you in creating your dream legendary rail journey including Trans-Mongolian, Trans-Siberian and the Silk Road.

The new packages will help Australian travellers build their own rail holiday with the help of expert staff to advise on how to create a package that works logistically and includes all your holiday ambitions.

A typical sample package is the Trans-Mongolian 12-day itinerary.

It travels from Beijing to Moscow, with ample leisure time in Beijing, Ulaan Baatar, Irkutsk and Moscow.

Work on Guangzhou Metro Line 6 destroys five ancient tombs

Guangzhou Metro is facing a public outcry after contractors destroyed a group of ancient imperial tombs in the Menggang district during construction of Line 6 of its subway system.

The tombs, ranging from 2,200 to more than 3,000 years old and still being studied by archaeologists, were wrecked by excavators on Friday night.

The protected site, on the eastern slope of Da Gong mountain, had been sealed off by the Guangzhou Archaeology Research Centre, with warning signs posted and red lines marking the protected area.

It was fine when archaeologists left on Friday but had been torn up by the time they returned on Saturday.

"Yesterday we were still conducting archaeological excavations, but all five tombs were gone this morning," said an archaeologist quoted by Southern Metropolis Daily yesterday.

One of the archaeology technicians responsible for the site, Miao Hui , said: "At least five of them were destroyed … this time. They date from the late Shang dynasty to the Warring States. This is not the first time the construction company has destroyed ancient tombs. The area they dug up was sealed by red lines. They even specifically moved our archaeological tools aside before blazing in."

A foreman hired by the centre said the site was impossible to miss. "We have begun working with one of the tombs and used plastic film to cover the unfinished site. It's a very large and obvious target, it's impossible that the workers could miss it."

Yesterday's reports in most Guangzhou media put the number of tombs at five, while Xinhua reported on Saturday that six tombs were destroyed.

A manager for Guangzhou Metro's construction agent said the workers were confused by unclear warning signs and markings left by the archaeologists.

A Guangzhou Metro spokesman said the construction work had already been approved by the archaeology centre, according to Southern Metropolis Daily.

However, it was reported that the centre wrote to the company last month to say the site had not been cleared for construction.

The research centre's director, Zhang Qianglu , said the slope's densely packed tombs had significant historical value.

The subway project is reported to have destroyed more than a dozen ancient tombs in the first five months of the year.

The damage has triggered an outcry online, with internet users describing it as outrageous and shameless. One said she did not believe it was simply a mistake. "The constructor has never taken the historical relics seriously. If you are not sure where to dig, why don't you ask? They must be severely punished, otherwise we'll only see more cultural relics being destroyed."

Central Asian rail link viable oil trade route option

Nursultan Nazarbayev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the presidents of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan respectively, launched the 150-kilometer railway line between the two countries, which is part of a larger 1,000-kilometer railway project that also passes through Iran, connecting the three oil and gas powerhouses.

The three countries had signed an agreement as early as 2007 to build the USD 1.4 billion 870-kilometer Caspian Sea Eastern Rail Corridor. Separately, the Turkmenistan-Iranian leg of the project is scheduled to be completed by next year.

The Turkmen-Kazakh section of the pipeline cuts through the Uzen region in Kazakhstan to Etrek in Turkmenistan through the Bolashak-Serhetyak area.

"Building the Uzen-Gyzylgaya-Bereket-Etrek-Gorgan (Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran) railway supports landlocked Kazakhstan's external trade diversification strategy, which aims to supplement the country's traditional trade conduits through Russian territory with additional routes to Kazakhstan's east, west and south," said Richard Weitz, an analyst with the Jamestown Foundation.

The railway is expected to facilitate flow of as much as 10 million tons of Kazakh grains, apart from oil products into Turkmenistan and Iran.

"It will also increase Kazakhstan's yearly trade by as much as USD 5-10 billion, with significant boosts in turnover with Turkmenistan, Iran and additional countries," said Weitz in a note to clients.

Laos targets rail-link start date

Laos is set to formally launch construction of an ambitious high-speed railway linking the country's western border with Thailand to Vietnam in August, an official said on Thursday, following the completion of a feasibility study by a Malaysian company that will construct and operate the project.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the railway will be held in Savannakhet city's Kaysone Phomvihane district "sometime in August", an official from the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transportation in Vientiane told RFA's Lao Service, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The ceremony will mark the laying of the "foundation" for the project but a precise date for construction to proceed full steam ahead has yet to be set.

Malaysian company Giant Consolidated Ltd has not established a project office in Savannakhet to date.

"About the office, nothing has been said yet," the official said. "It's obvious that when the project kicks off, an office will be needed here in [Savannakhet] province."

Giant was in early November awarded a contract to construct and operate the 220-kilometer (140-mile) railway from Savannakhet, on Laos's southwestern border with Thailand, to the Lao Bao border gate with Vietnam in the east.

The company recently completed a mandatory environmental impact assessment needed for construction to begin, but it has not yet submitted the study to authorities, the Lao official said, nor had it delivered findings to provincial officials from a survey of the construction site conducted earlier this year.

In April, a Lao railways official told RFA that before launching construction Giant also needs to carry out a project design study, which it expected to complete by August.

But despite the lack of progress, the public works and transportation official expressed confidence that the railway would proceed, citing "regular discussions" about project details between a Giant representative and his ministry, "which cannot be revealed yet".

Construction of the railway, which runs from Savannakhet city in the east to the border town of Lao Bao in the west with an onward link to Vietnam's Danang port city, is expected to take four years.

New Zealand financial institution Rich Banco Berhad agreed in April to provide a US$5 billion loan to Giant to fund the construction. [1]

Laos is also in negotiations to borrow US$7.2 billion from China to fund a second planned rail line - a 420-kilometer (260-mile) project linking the capital Vientiane to southwestern China.

Laos assumed sole ownership of the project after a Chinese construction company pulled out of a joint partnership because it decided the project would not be profitable enough. Legislators and the Asian Development Bank have cautioned that the project is "unaffordable" and could sink the country into debt.

Laos has no coastline or seaports, and the rail links are expected to lower the cost of exports and consumer goods and help drive the impoverished country's socio-economic development. The country's current rail system consists of a 3.5-kilometer (two-mile) link over the Mekong River between Vientiane and Thailand's Nong Khai.

Japan railway offers train wedding

TOKYO: A rail company is offering one couple the chance to get married aboard one of Tokyo's busiest commuter trains as it encircles the Japanese capital, it said Tuesday.

East Japan Railway (JR East) said it wanted to find a couple who would like to tie the knot aboard the Yamanote Line, in the company of up to 120 friends and family.

"We expect applications from couples who are somewhat attached to the Yamanote line, including those who live nearby," said JR East spokesman Yoichi Suzuki. "But they need not necessarily be rail fans."

Guests will have exclusive use of the 11-car train, which normally carries around 1,000 tightly-packed commuters.

The train will take an hour to travel the around the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Yamanote line, stopping at all 29 stations but not opening its doors.

The nature of the journey will pose one possible challenge -- there is no toilet aboard.

"The guests will be warned well in advance. I think this is all the same for ordinary weddings," said Suzuki.

The event has officially been planned to mark the 50th year that Yamanote line trains have been painted yellow-green.

The ceremony has to be held on October 14, the 141st anniversary of Japan's railways coming into operation.

JR East is accepting applications for the next three weeks.

The winning couple can arrange the ceremony as they wish but must host and pay for the ensuing wedding reception at a hotel run by the firm.

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan establish railway link

ASTANA – The opening of a railway between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan will not only help develop ties between the two countries and boost their economies, but it will also help the region as a whole, analysts say.

"This project can have a positive impact on the general situation in the region and beyond and can significantly boost stability and security in Asia," Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said.

The inauguration of the 148km-long segment of the railway May 11 officially linked Bolashak, Kazakhstan, to Serhetyaka, Turkmenistan. The corridor eventually will be 470km long and will provide access to the Persian Gulf.

Turkmenistan is working to improve its transport infrastructure, said Raihan K., an employee at the Turkmen Railway Transport Ministry, noting that previously the countries had poor, roundabout transport connections.

"We co-operate with Kazakhstan in various spheres, and this line is important both for freight and passenger traffic," he said.

Some, though, were sceptical of spending money on a rail project.

"The cost should be weighed against the general situation in the country," economist and opposition politician Serikbolsyn Abdildin said.

"We are spending money left, right and centre and losing out on the chance to boost our economy and improve our standard of living," he said.

Economic growth for both sides But proponents contend that there will be economic benefits.

The new project will benefit the economies of both countries and of the region, Kazakhstani lower house MP Aitkul Samakova said.

For example, Kazakhstani grain, oil and oil products will be transported along the newly opened corridor – when it's complete – to the Persian Gulf region, Daniyar Ashimbayev, a Kazakhstani political commentator and the author of several political and economic books, said.

"Kazakhstan does not have its own corridor to the sea, and most of the freight is transported by road and rail," he said, adding that Kazakhstan needs this route. "One of the state's most important tasks is to improve the transport infrastructure."

KASHMIR GETS SOUTH ASIA’S LONGEST RAILWAY TUNNEL

Deep inside the tunnel which cuts through the Pirpanchal Range here, workers are busy installing the lighting system. Technicians arrive to fix the emergency communication services and the control systems are tested to perfection.

The 11-kilometer Pirpanchal Railway Tunnel, longest in South Asia, which connects Cheral village in Banihal in Jammu Division with Qazigund in Kashmir Division, is being readied for regular operations.

“We have already handed over the rail line to the authorities and it will be commissioned next month,” said Sharanappa Yalal, Project Manager of the Pir Panchal Tunnel, executed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) Ltd. “They are waiting for approval from the Commissioner Railway Safety,” Yalal said. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is scheduled to commission the tunnel on June 25. Opening of this tunnel, longest in India and third longest in Asia after Taihang Tunnel (28 km) and Wushaoling Tunnel (21 km) in China, would ease transportation problem to Kashmir especially during winter when snowy weather forces closure of Jammu-Srinagar Highway, sometimes for weeks together.

Built at the cost of Rs 1,300 crores, it would reduce distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 17 kms.

“More importantly, Kashmir will remain connected to outside world round the year,” Yalal said at his Banihal office. Presently, train operates only from Qazigund in South Kashmir to Baramulla in north.

The tunnel is part of the 345-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project of the Northern Railways, which is scheduled for completion by 2018. Last December, the trail run of the tunnel, which runs 0.4 kilometers beneath the Jawahar Tunnel, was conducted smoothly and the train covered the 11 km distance from southern side of the mountain in Banihal to north in Qazigund in 6.6 minutes.

Its construction, which was scheduled for completion by 2009, was awarded to the HCC by IRCON in 2006 but the completion period overrun by three years. “The project is unique in India as the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) was used first time in mass capacity,” said an HCC official.

Aligned straight from north to south the tunnel is believed to be 100 per cent water-proof and is equipped with fire fighting system. It has a three meter wide concrete road running aside the track throughout its length for maintenance and emergency purpose.

However the engineering wonder has come at some cost to environment.

Around 7.15 lakh cubic meters of earth excavated to dig the tunnel has been dumped in a nearby open filed.

“Once a tunnel is dug, it cuts the water aquifers resulting in sudden bleeding of water in and around the tunnel. The streams, springs and other sources of water located downstream face water depletion and ultimately dry up,” said a senior PHE official.

He said the “disaster” was visible at places where tunnels came up.

“Besides various chemicals used for digging not only affects the water quality in tunnel area it also creates havoc at places where the excavated material is dumped. It has been seen that due to use of the chemicals the water color changes and it becomes unfit for drinking,” the official said.

Yalal claimed they have given “due consideration” for conservation of environment. “We have properly maintained the dumping ground,” he said.

The project has helped the local economy. At least 60 percent of the manpower required in the project (both skilled and unskilled) were state subjects, the HCC official said.

Mushtaq Ahmad Hajam of Banihal is working as a security supervisor with the HCC at the project for past seven years.

“It has helped us economically and we are hopeful that Banihal will turn into tourist hub once the tunnel becomes operational,” said Mushtaq at main railway station at Kaskot, 1.5 kilometers from the tunnel.

No.429issue(2013.06.14)