Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

What is Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)?

• The national capital region (NCR) is a multi-state region with the National Capital as its centre. This region, spread over an area of about 35,000 km2, comprises the entire National Capital Territory of Delhi and some parts of the neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), in order to enhance the connectivity within the NCR, has proposed to connect urban, industrial (SEZs/industrial parks), regional and sub-regional centres through a fast rail-based Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
• The objective of this system is to reduce the dependence of commuters on road-based transportation.
• The NCRPB conducted a study on Integrated Transportation Plan for NCR projecting figures for 2032 and has identified eight rail-based rapid transit corridors to enhance the efficacy of the transportation system in the NCR.
• In addition to the rail system, there will also be provisions made for facilities including road network enhancements

The eight identified RRTS corridors are:

• Delhi – Gurgaon – Rewari – Alwar [DGRA - Project Corridor]
• Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut
• Delhi – Sonipat – Panipat
• Delhi – Faridabad – Ballabhgarh – Palwal
• Delhi – Bahadurgarh – Rohtak
• Delhi – Shahadra – Baraut
• Ghaziabad – Khurja
• Ghaziabad – Hapur

The NCRPB has decided to implement RRTS in the following three corridors on priority:

• Delhi – Gurgaon – Rewari – Alwar;
• Delhi – Sonipat – Panipat; and
• Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut.

Benefits of RRTS corridors

• The proposed corridors radiate from National Capital Territory Delhi (NCTD) across the NCR area and terminate at the Rest of NCR (RNCR) towns which are the exit nodes of NCR.
• The RRTS network is expected to provide fast, safe and comfortable commuter systems at a reasonable fare for intra-regional movement of passengers.
• NCR is experiencing the flow of nearly 3.5 lakh passenger cars commuting every day and RRTS will help reduce travel delays and congestion created by movement of these vehicles.

Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

• The country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is set to use an advanced signalling and train control system.
• According to the NCRTC, the RRTS will adopt a modern European Train Control System Level 2 signalling over the long-term evolution communication backbone with the adoption of state-of-art Hybrid Level 3.
• The adoption of this signalling technology adds to the distinction of RRTS, as the first technologically advanced rail network in India will be operational with a design speed of 180 km/hr.
• The ETCS signalling system will be a key enabler in ensuring interoperability and train movement at quick frequencies, thereby reducing waiting time for passengers.

Indian Railways and Technology for India

Technology in the year 2020 is going to be a growth driver for Indian Railways. In the coming years, Indian Railways aims to provide world-class train journey experience to passengers by embracing technological advancements. With a focus on safety, comfort, and convenience, Indian Railways is aiming to transform its network.

With the launching of engine-less, self-propelled- Vande Bharat Express trains to implementation of passenger eco-friendly facilities, there is a sense of improved and enhanced train journey experience.

Enhancing passenger experience

• According to Indian Railways, technology in the year 2020 is going to be a growth driver. As there is no shortage of coaches now, the focus will be on introducing SMART coaches on the Indian Railways network.
• Also, with modern features like CCTVs with facial recognition, emergency talk-back system, WiFi infotainment system, automatic plug-door and step control, etc. there will be a complete change in travel experience.

Introducing world-class train sets

• For Indian Railways, the introduction of ‘Make in India’ semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains was the biggest success story of last year.
• This year as well as in the coming years, the national transporter plans to launch many other world-class train sets, improving the railway connectivity across the country.
• According to Rajesh Agrawal, the aim is to also start exporting trains.

Manufacturing of coaches

• The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in Chittaranjan and Banaras Locomotive Works in Varanasi makes electric locomotives.
• The Integral Coach Factory in Perambur, Chennai makes integral coaches. These have a monocoque construction, and the floor is an integral unit with the undercarriage.
• The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala also makes coaches.
• The Titagarh Wagons builds freight wagons.
• The Rail Wheel Factory at Yelahanka, Bangalore and Rail Wheel Plant, Bela, Chhapra, Bihar manufacture wheels and axles.
• Diesel-Loco Modernisation Works, Patiala upgrades the diesel locomotives.
• Some electric locomotives have been supplied by BHEL, Jhansi and Palakkad, and locomotive components are manufactured in several other plants around the country.
• There has been an exponential growth in coach production. For the first time in 2018-19, Indian Railways has witnessed more supply than demand.
• The financial year 2018-19 saw the highest production of coaches in the last two decades, with a total of 5,836 coaches.
• The Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Rae Bareilly had doubled its production, last year.

Environmental impact

• Indian Railways plans to focus on cleanliness of trains and stations.
• Beginning with the installation of 57 bio-toilets in 31 coaches in January 2011, Indian Railways has now successfully installed over 2.2 lakh bio-toilets covering about 61,500 passenger carrying coaches.
• Moreover, 950 railway stations have been provided with integrated mechanised cleaning till now.
• Also, 13 railway stations have achieved Green Certification and 85 railway stations have been certified for implementation of Environment Management System.

Freight logistics

• The freight logistics of the national transporter is picking up, according to the Railway Board. The freight carrying capacity has been increased from 7 Million MT to 1 Billion MT.
• Meanwhile, Indian Railways has come up with a wagon design for new traffic streams, which includes bulk, cement and fly ash transportation, steel coil 1, steel coil 2, road railers, parcel wagon.
• A private parcel wagon design is also currently under consideration at RDSO.
• Additionally, a Smart Yard is likely to be introduced for maintenance of rolling stock.

Recent news in Railway sector

• In 2017, NITI Aayog cleared half-a-dozen proposals of the transport ministry exploring options to improve public transport.
• The think tank approved the proposals of the transport ministry with a condition that the ministry conducts trial run of all these technologies and puts in place safety measures before starting commercially operation.
• These technologies include metrino, stadler buses, hyperloop, pod taxis, hybrid buses and freight rail road.
• The new technologies are being explored as current public transportation is unable to resolve the increasing traffic crisis in the country. Besides, some of them are more cost effective than the existing ones.

Hyperloop

• In a Hyperloop, the passenger pods or capsules travel through a tube, either above or below ground. To reduce friction, most but not all of the air is removed from the tubes by pumps.
• Overcoming air resistance is one of the biggest uses of energy in high speed travel.
• Airliners climb to high altitudes to travel through less dense air; in order to create a similar effect at ground level, Hyperloop encloses the capsules in a reduced-pressure tube, effectively allowing the trains to travel at airplane speeds but on the ground.
• In model, the pressure of air inside the Hyperloop tube is about one-sixth the pressure of the atmosphere on Mars. This means an operating pressure of 100 pascals, which reduces the drag force of the air by 1,000 times relative to sea level conditions, and would be equivalent to flying above 150,000 feet altitude.
• The pod would get its initial velocity from an external linear electric motor, which would accelerate it to ‘high subsonic velocity’ and then give it a boost every 70 miles or so; in between, the pod would coast along in near vacuum.

Modern Train Control system

• Indian Railways has decided to modernize its Signalling system on its entire network by implementing Modern Train Control system.
• The RailTel Enterprises Ltd. (REL), a 100% subsidiary of RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. has been given the responsibility to implement these four pilot projects on behalf of Indian Railway.
• The MTCS includes provision of:

1. Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System
2. Electronic Interlocking System
3. Remote Diagnostic & Predictive Maintenance System
4. Long Term Evolution (LTE) based Mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC) System
5. Centralized Traffic Control System (CTC) /Train Management System (TMS)

Maglev trains in India

• State-run engineering BHEL announced its tie up with SwissRapide AG to bring Maglev trains (magnetic levitation) to India.
• Aimed at expanding its footprint in the urban transportation sector as part of its diversication initiatives, BHEL has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SwissRapide AG for Maglev Train projects in India.
• The Maglev Rail system hovers in the air instead of rolling, due to magnetic levitation, thus the vehicles have no physical contact with the guideway. This enables the system to be highly energy efficient, allows operating speeds of easily up to 500 km/h and signicantly reduces the total cost of system ownership.
• The agreement has been signed in the backdrop of the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives, and will enable BHEL to bring the latest, world-class technology to India and manufacture state-of-the-art Maglev trains indigenously.
• The SwissRapide AG is a Swiss company specialised in the promotion, project management, planning, specication, design, implementation and commissioning of international Maglev Rail projects and related technologies.
• It holds the unique position of offering Transrapid Maglev technology, the only established and commercially proven ultra-high-speed Maglev Rail system in the world.
• BHEL has been pioneering new technologies and has been a reliable partner in the growth of Indian Railways for over ve decades by supplying electric as well as diesel locomotives, EMUs (electrical multiple unit), and propulsion system sets and drives for the same.
• Kolkata Metro, the first Metro in India, is equipped with BHEL made propulsion systems. The first ever air-conditioned AC-EMUs, presently operational in Mumbai suburban, are also equipped with BHEL-made propulsion and related electrics.

India’s first pod taxi project moves a step forward

• The Union Government has approved country’s first Metrino Pod project i.e. personal rapid transit (PRT) network for Gurgaon, Haryana. It is a projected pod taxi scheme.

• PRT is an advanced public transport using automated electric pod cars to provide a taxi-like demand responsive feeder and shuttle services for small groups of travelers and is a green mode of uninterrupted journey
• NHAI has been mandated to execute it on Delhi-Gurgaon pilot corridor from Delhi-Haryana border to Rajiv Chowk in Gurgaon on a PPP (public-private partnership) basis.
• The model is in place at London’s Heathrow airport, Morgantown and Masdar city.
• It will be incorporating Automated People Movers (APM) standards and specifications, along with other general safety parameters with Niti Aayog recommendations.

Automated people mover (APM) standards in the US

• These are recommended by the committee for the maiden PRT in India and have been prepared by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• These constitute the minimum requirements for an acceptable level of safety and performance for the PRT
• These include vehicle arrival audio and video visual warning system, platform sloping, evacuation of misaligned vehicles, surveillance/CCTV, audio communication, emergency call points and fire protection, among other advanced systems.

Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail (MAHSR) corridor

• The Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor is an under-construction high-speed rail line connecting the cities of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and India's economic hub Mumbai, Maharashtra. It will be India's first high-speed rail line.
• The bullet train is symbol of strong trust between the India and Japan as it involves the technology transfer at the core of this deal.
• By L&T constructions.
• Length 508 kms double line. Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail will be passing through two states, Maharashtra 155.642 KMs and Gujarat 350.530 KMs and one Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 2 KMs.
• 12 stations: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati. Except Mumbai, all other stations will be elevated.
• Maximum Design Speed - 350 kmph while Maximum Operating speed of 320 kmph.
• Journey time: 2.07 hrs (limited stops), 2.58 hrs (stopping at all stations).
• Maintenance of Trains: Sabarmati (Depot & Workshop) and Thane Depot.
• A 21-km-long tunnel will be built between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, of which 7km will be under water.
• The Railways will only require around 825 hectares of land for the project as 92 per cent of the route will be elevated, six per cent will go through tunnels and only the remaining two per cent will be on ground.