iete apex forum monitoring & control systems for safer rail transport

31 Pages·2015·3.82 MB·English

IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

Proceedings and Recommendations
of
IETE APEX FORUM
on
MONITORING & CONTROL SYSTEMS
FOR SAFER RAIL TRANSPORT

held on

September 12, 2015

at
IETE Allahabad Centre

Organised by
THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRONICS AND
TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERS
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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

Contents

1. Introduction

(cid:190) About IETE ............................................................... 1
(cid:190) IETE Apex Forums .................................................... 1-2
(cid:190) Objectives of the Apex Forum on Monitoring &
Control Systems for Safer Rail Transport .................. 3
(cid:190) Background Paper ...................................................... 4-6

2. Proceedings of the Forum

(cid:190)Welcome Address by Chairman SD&ICC ………… 7-11
(cid:190) Welcome Address by President IETE....................... 12-14
(cid:190) List of Speakers …………….................................... 14-15
(cid:190) Synopsis ................................................................... 15-18
(cid:190) Conclusion.…………………………........................ 18-20

3. Appendices

A. List of Participants.………………........................... 21-22
B. Photographs .............................................................. 23-27
C. IETE in Press ............................................................ 28

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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

1. Introduction

About IETE

Founded in the year 1953 by a team of dedicated professionals, the
Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) is
a leading non-profit professional society devoted to the advancement of
Science and Technology of Electronics, Telecommunications and
Information Technology. It serves more than one lac and twenty-five
thousand members through 64 Centres, spread across the country
including one at Nepal. The Institution provides leadership in scientific
and technical areas of direct relevance to the national development and
its economy. The Government of India has recognised IETE as a
Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) and also
notified it as an educational Institution of national eminence. The
objectives of IETE focus on advancing electro-technology. The IETE
conducts and sponsors technical meetings, conferences, symposia and
organises exhibitions all over India. IETE Apex forum is one such
event that promotes issues of national interest through a common
platform. IETE also publishes technical journals and provides
continuing education to working professionals as well as career
advancement opportunities to its members.
IETE Apex Forums
One of the objectives of the IETE Apex Forums is to bring policy
makers, policy implementers, academicians, researchers, practicing
engineers and industrialists on a common platform for meaningful
exchange of ideas and suggestions on the current specific issues of
national interest. Meaningful debates and discussions are held, views
are exchanged to achieve the aim of the forum. The recommendations
/outcomes resulting out of the forum are actively pursued for
advancement of the profession. This Forum addresses important issues
with the participation from Govt Departments also like Deity, DST,
DoT and leading academic institutions.
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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

The following are some of the Round Table Conferences under the
Apex Forum held in the recent past.

• “Internet Governance” organized on 24 Jul 2015 at IETE, New
Delhi.
• “Smart Cities” organized on 26 Jul 2014 at India International
Centre, New Delhi
• "Geo Spatial Technologies" was organized on 24 May 2014 at
Hyderabad Centre at the Mekaster Auditorium of the Institution.
• "Vocation and Skill Development Perspective-Current

Scenario" held on 28 Feb 2014 at IETE HQ, New Delhi.
• “DRM Technology” held at IETE HQ on 6 May 2013
• “Road Ahead for LTE in India- Opportunities and Challenges”
was held on 11 Sep 2012 at Hyderabad.
• The Cloud Computing in India – The Road Ahead” was held on 3
Jul 2012 at IETE HQ, New Delhi.
• “e-Education Paradigms-Indian Scenario & Challenges” held
on 23 Dec 2011 at IETE HQ, New Delhi.

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Objectives of the Apex Forum on Monitoring & Control
Systems for Safer Rail Transport

The objective of this IETE Apex Forum on “Monitoring &
Control Systems for Safer Rail Transport” was to deliberate on the
following issues:

(cid:190) To have a brain storming session on the trans-disciplinary area of
electronics and control systems for identifying the priority areas of
its application in Indian Railways.
(cid:190) To have the views and the specific recommendations from various
stake–holders connected with the railways in terms of requirement,
delivery and the training skill-development activities.
(cid:190) To prioritize a few areas in electronics & control systems of
relevance to railways such as signalling, electrification and ICT
applications to frame up training modules.
(cid:190) To frame out the partners for composing and running the skill
development course initially at Allahabad and for subsequent
replication at other IETE Centres.
(cid:190) To consolidate the draft document focussing on technological areas
and the human resource developments for considerations by the
competent authorities in Indian Railways.

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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

Background Paper

IETE Apex Forum
Sept 12, 2015 at IETE Allahabad Centre
“Monitoring & Control Systems For Safer Rail Transport”
12th Sept 2015

Preamble:

Railways are the backbone of mass transport system in India carrying maximum number of
passengers daily through a vast network of rail track and a huge fleet of coaches and
trains. The numbers of trains are ever increasing to cover more and more stations to meet
the demands. The high speed trains with modern coaches fitted with more comforts for
safer journey has always been a matter of concern to the railway authorities. Various
modernization plans are announced every year and more financial outlays are earmarked
for research, development and training. A railway, infact is a true amalgamation of
various engineering faculties for any feasible implementation for its effective movement
on the rails. Ranging from civil engineering, engine technology, structures of track layouts
even on rough terrains, mechanical engineering, coach design, high power high voltage
engineering, signalling & control and what not. This needs a tremendous harmony and
synchronization particularly when inter- disciplinary areas do come in to picture at the
time of system engineering and integration. Since the subject is too vast any team has to
pick and focus only the select area of relevance for innovative solutions towards safer rail
traction mechanism.

IETE, a society established in the year 1953 by a team of dedicated professionals of
electronics & telecommunications engineers to provide a platform for advancement of
learning, knowledge sharing, organizing seminars, workshops, special lectures, meetings,
apex forums, etc. on current as well as emerging areas in this field. Currently it serves
about 1.25 lacs members through its 64 different centres spread across the country. The
Institution provides leadership in scientific and technical areas of national relevance and
duly recognized by DST, Govt of India as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
(SIRO).

One of the key activities of IETE has been in organizing Apex Forum on emerging areas of
national relevance where experts from different sectors like research & development,
academic institutions, policy makers, domain specific experts, etc. meet at a common
platform for deliberations and exchange of ideas and to suggest future course of action. It
also facilitates to formulate some implementation methodology where co-ordinated
efforts towards the advancement of knowledge, training programmes, workshops, etc.
could be synergized for mutual benefits.

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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

The spectrum of development activities of Indian Railway is truly very vast and cannot be
covered in a single meeting. So, the today’s Apex Forum focuses on Measurement and
Control Systems Aspects covering sensors/transducers, measurement technique,
instrumentation and control, electrical and electronics engineering keeping in view the
safety and reliability aspects towards its modernization. In fact electronics,
telecommunications and information technology has paved its ways in almost every area
of engineering and can facilitate in providing innovative solutions in this direction.

There are several areas where research and development needs to be carried out
including the human resource development at the grass root level for handling modern
gadgets and tools. Some of the broad areas which may be of direct relevance for
deliberations by the expert panellists include: Fast switching and signalling systems,
power electronics, high voltage systems, solid state ac drives, brushless motors,
prevention of accidents due to various reasons such as unmanned level crossing, health
monitoring of tracks, bearings, hot axle box, cracks in bridges, early warning of natural
disasters like landslides (Konkan, Katra regions), sand storms, post-flood configuration
(remote sensing for damage assessment).

Advanced research areas include: noise level reduction in cabs of locomotives, noise
spectrum analysis, all weather traction (fog vision system), coach inspection systems
based on high speed electronic imaging, gas turbine locomotives, windscreen display
systems, waste management, advanced communication systems, GPS technology
implementation and many more. The Apex Forum planned for September 12, 2015 at IETE
Allahabad Centre at J K Institute of Applied Physics & Technology, University of Allahabad
has many distinguished invitees; to name a few Er. Mahesh Mangal, General Manager,
Central Organisation for Railways Electrification (CORE), Chief Guest, Er. Arun Saksena,
General Manager North Central Railway, Guest of Honour; Er. D. N. Tiwari, Executive
Director, Telecom–RDSO, Prof K. K. Bhutani, Director, UPTECH, Prof U. S. Tiwari, Dean
IRP, IIIT-, Dr G S Darbari, Chairman, Darbari Industries, Mr. Manish Vig, Director, Chandra
Metals. Team IETE include: Madam Smriti Dagur, President, IETE. Prof Pawan Kapur,
Chairman Skill Development & Industrial Co-ordination Committee & Member Governing
Council, IETE, Prof M P Singh, Chairman, Dr. Ashish Khare, Hony Secretary, Executive
Committee members & Fellow members of IETE-Allahabad Centre.

It is expected that detailed deliberations would be held on various aspects on monitoring
& control systems with a view to come out with ideas and suggestions for innovative
solutions in enhancing the performance and safety of rail transport. These discussions
shall lead towards prioritizing some of the areas where the expertise available at
different institutions and the domain expert’s knowledge can be synergised for co-
ordinated work.

Training and Skill development is an important area where every organisation is working
towards freezing training modules. Course contents and structure of training programmes,
pooling the experts together to conduct such activities for human resource development
both at the grass root level and at the supervisory level. As per common saying
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“Technology Feeds on itself- Technology generates more Technology”; so following this
philosophy, every upcoming technology, or a new product needs trained manpower at all
levels be it production or operation & maintenance. It is also expected that something
will also come out of long interactions on some areas where training modules can be
developed. IETE has given special emphasis on this aspect in planning and execution of
skill development programmes jointly with TSSC (Telecom Skill Sector Council), ESSC
(Electronic Skill Sector Council), NIELIT (National Institute of Electronics & Information
Technology), DeitY (Department of Electronics & Information Technology) on Electronic
Systems Design & Manufacturing), etc. IETE is also keen to extend its activities/further in
other application domain areas too.

It is certain that the Apex Forum of the Day will give each one participating in this
program a food for thought for joint work on a win-win situation.

IETE – Allahabad Centre Prof (Dr) Pawan Kapur
September, 12, 2015. Chairman, SD&ICC
Member, Governing Council
IETE, New Delhi

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2. Proceedings of the Forum

The Apex Forum on Monitoring & Control Systems for Safer Rail
Transport was held at IETE Allahabad Centre on the 12th Sept 2015 (1630
hrs to 1930 hrs). Er Arun Saksena, General Manager, North Central
Railway, was the Chief Guest on the occasion, while Dr Pawan Kapur,
Chairman of Skill Development & Industrial Coordination Committee
(SD&ICC), co-ordinated the proceedings of the day. Shri Mahesh Mangal,
GM, CORE, who was supposed to be one of the dignitaries to grace this
occasion, could not come due to some urgent commitment. Smt Smriti
Dagur, President IETE presided over the forum. Shri M K Sigh, Chairman
IETE Allahabad Centre & Dr Ashish Khare were also present on the dais.

Welcome Address by Dr Pawan Kapur, Chairman SD&ICC on
the occasion of IETE Apex Forum on “Monitoring & Control
Systems for Safer Rail Transport”

Good Morning.
On behalf of IETE fraternity and on my own behalf, I extend a very warm
welcome to you all in this Apex Forum on an important subject on
“Engineering intervention towards safer rail transport”. We are grateful to
Er Arun Saksena, General Manager, North Central Railway, Allahabad,
who accepted our invitation and to be the Chief Guest on this occasion. I
also extend a warm welcome to Madam Smriti Dagur, President IETE who
has steered this institution of electronics professionals so well in pursuing
academic and training activities on various fronts. I welcome all the
distinguished speakers of today’s function.

IETE, a professional body of electronics and telecommunication engineers,
has over 1.25 lacs members with 64 Centres spread all across the country
which organize various technical events like workshops, conferences,
symposiums, special training programmes, etc throughout the year. Apex
Forums are special meetings where domain specialists meet at a common
platform to deliberate on key technological aspects of national relevance
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IETE APEX FORUM‐2015 

influencing our society as a whole. Experts from research & development
organizations, industry, academia, and user departments share their
experiences, ideas and opinions on the theme with an objective to frame-up
priority areas, where co-ordinated work can be taken up by all the
concerned stakeholders.

Electronics and its derivative fields such as control systems, measurements
and instrumentation, communications, computer science and information
technology have all paved its ways in almost every application area of the
society. The key sectors being: agriculture, health, civil structure, energy,
manufacturing, transport and what not. Rail transport has been the most
convenient means for a common man providing a vast network of
connectivity all across the country with world’s largest traction length,
highest numbers of passengers and equally the largest number of trains
operating daily. Over the last several decades, it has made a phenomenon
growth in meeting the ever-increasing demands of the commuters. More
trains and wagons to accommodate more traffic density has always been a
matter of great concern to the Indian Railways and its associated ancillary
industries. There are several bodies looking after different aspects like
production of quality wagons/ coaches, laying of tracks, high horse power
high speed locos, faster communication systems, control systems, fool-
proof signalling, managing tracks, bridges, electrical systems and what not.
In fact, railway is an excellent example of encompassing almost every
branch of engineering making it truly a multifacet and a multi-disciplinary
area. Several R&D organisations and academic institutions too are
participating in executing innovative tasks for its continuous modernisation
towards safer and high speed transportation. Today’s Apex Forum planned
and being conducted at IETE Allahabad Centre focuses on this particular
application domain with a special emphasis on “Monitoring & Control
Systems for Safer Rail Transport”.

The spectrum of technological challenges faced by the Indian Railways is
truly very vast and cannot be covered in a single Apex Forum. We have
therefore narrowed down our today’s brain storming sessions on a focal
theme on “Measurement and Control System aspects covering Sensors/
Transducers Measurements, Materials, Instrumentation and Control
Systems, Signalling, etc. One is always concerned about safety aspects-at
one end while increasing the traction facilities with higher traffic density
and more comforts on the other end. In other words the challenges lie in
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