Mumbai: CR achieves remarkable performance in ensuring track, signal and OHE Safety

Mumbai Division of Central Railway has outstanding performance in maintenance and infrastructure blocks during the month of August 2023. Despite the challenges posed by record-breaking freight loading and a high volume of freight train interchange, the division operated an impressive 4,664 blocks in August, a remarkable increase of 61.27% compared to the same period last year. This achievement translates to a total operational duration of 8,000 hours and 27 minutes, reflecting an exceptional 38.81% growth year-on-year as compared to 2892 Blocks operated in August 2022 of 5,763 hours and 30 minutes.
Similarly, during the period of Apr-Aug 2023, 18537 Blocks were operated in Mumbai Division with an increase of 27.24% with an operational duration of 33,931 hours and 56 minutes, which is 14.77 % above last year. Last year, 14568 blocks were operated for 29,565 hours and 10 minutes during the period Apr-Aug 2022.
The commitment to maintaining and enhancing the railway network's safety, reliability, efficiency, capacity, and sustainability is evident in these achievements. These maintenance and infrastructure blocks play a crucial role in the following ways:

• Ensuring Safety: Maintenance blocks are vital for inspecting, repairing, and upgrading critical components, ensuring the safety of passengers, crew, and cargo.
• Enhancing Reliability: Regular maintenance enhances reliability, reducing disruptions and keeping trains running o­n schedule, benefiting millions of passengers and businesses.
• Increasing Efficiency: Well-planned blocks minimize disruptions, optimizing capacity, reducing delays, and enhancing overall operational efficiency.
• Capacity Expansion: Blocks offer opportunities to expand capacity by adding new tracks, modernizing stations, and upgrading signaling systems to meet growing demand.
• Modernisation and Technology: Maintenance blocks facilitate the adoption of modern technologies, such as electrification and high-speed rail, to keep the network competitive.
• Sustainability: These blocks can integrate sustainability initiatives, like electrification, reducing the railways' environmental footprint.

The Mumbai Division is equipped with a wide range of specialized machines dedicated to track maintenance and infrastructure improvement. There are a total of 26 Track Maintenance machines and 16 Tower Wagons for OHE maintenance in Mumbai Division. These machines include:

1. Continuous Tamping Machine (CSM) for Plain Track Tamping. It corrects track geometry i.e. alignment, twist, cross level, longitudinal level and pack ballast under sleepers. But can pack two sleepers at a time.
2. Duomatic Machine (DUO) for Plain Track Tamping. It corrects track geometry i.e. alignment, twist, cross level, longitudinal level and pack ballast under sleepers. Generally deployed at work site. But can pack two sleepers at a time.
3. Ballast Cleaning Machine (BCM) for Ballast screening of Plain & Turnout Track. It screens track ballast by removing muck, thus, improve drainage & elasticity of track for  safe & comfortable running.
4. Shoulder Ballast Cleaning Machine (FRM) for Shoulder Ballast Cleaning. It is used to carry out cleaning of shoulder ballast by removing muck, drainage of track and elasticity improving of ballast bed.
5. Unimatic machine (UNIMAT) for Turnout Packing. It corrects turnout track geometry i.e. alignment, twist, cross level, longitudinal level and pack ballast under sleepers.
6. Track Relaying Train (TRT) for Laying of Track. It is a fully mechanized system of complete Track Renewal.
7. Plasser Quick relaying System (PQRS) for Laying of Track. It is a semi mechanised system of track renewal wherein pre fabricated rail panels are laid and existing panels removed with minimum labour.
8. Utility track Vehicle (UTV) for Utility Vehicle. It is a mechanized system of transporting heavy material like rail, sleepers, etc, from o­ne station to another in traffic block.
9. Ballast Regulating Machine (BRM) for Ballast Regulating Machine. It is a mechanized system of track ballast equalization, regulation and profiling.
10. Tower Wagons are used for Overhead Equipment (OHE) wire maintenance.

The Mumbai Division boasts a total of 26 such machines, including 4 duomatic machines, 2 CSMs, 2 UNIMATICs (Point and Crossing Tamping Machine), 3 BCMs, 2 TRTs, 1 PQRS, 1 FRM, 1 BRM, 7 UTVs, 1 MDU (Mud Display Unit), and 2 MFTs (Multi-Functional Tampers) and 16 tower wagons for OHE maintenance.

This outstanding performance in maintenance and infrastructure blocks showcases Central Railway's commitment to ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of o­ne of the world's largest rail networks, which plays a pivotal role in India's socio-economic development.