STANDING COMMITTEE ON

23 RAILWAYS
(2018-2019)
SIXTEENTH LOK SABHA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)
MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES IN INDIAN
RAILWAYS : A REVIEW
TWENTY THIRD REPORT

LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT

NEW DELHI
December, 2018/Pausha, 1940 (Saka)
 TWENTY-THIRD REPORT

STANDING COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS

(2018-2019)

(SIXTEENTH LOK SABHA)

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES IN INDIAN

RAILWAYS : A REVIEW

Presented to Lok Sabha on ..............

Laid in Rajya Sabha on ...................

LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT

NEW DELHI

December, 2018/Pausha, 1940 (Saka)

SCR No. 221

Price : Rs. 48.00

© 2018 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT

Published under Rule 382 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of

Business in Lok Sabha (Fifteenth Edition) and printed by National Printers,
New Delhi-110 028.
 CONTENTS

PAGE

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE (2017-18) ............................................. (iii)

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE (2018-19) ............................................. (v)

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. (vii)

PART I

REPORT
Introductory .............................................................................................. 1
Bridge Management System .................................................................. 3
Safety on Railway bridges ...................................................................... 3
Condition Rating System for bridges ................................................... 5
Under Water Inspection (UWI) ............................................................. 6
Security of Bridges ................................................................................... 7
Strengthening/Rehabilitation/Rebuilding of Bridges ............................. 9
Sanction of Bridge Rehabilitation/Strengthening/Rebuilding of Works .... 9
Progress of construction of new bridges and Strengthening/
Rehabilitation/Rebuilding of Bridges .................................................. 10
Allocation, expenditure and progress of Bridge works ................... 10
Recommendation of the Kakodkar Committee Report .................... 11
New Technologies in Bridge Construction ......................................... 13
Use of modern/alternative technology in monitoring of Bridges ..... 16

PART II
Recommendations/Observations .......................................................... 17

APPENDIX
Minutes of the sittings of the Standing Committee on Railways held
on 06.11.2017, 20.11.2017 and 20.12.2018 ................................................... 23

(i)
 COMPOSITION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS
(2017-2018)@

Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay—Chairperson

MEMBERS

Lok Sabha
2. Shri Ram Tahal Choudhary
3. Shri Sudheer Gupta
4. Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi
5. Dr. Ramshankar Katheria
6. Shri Ramesh Chander Kaushik
7. Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu
8. Shri Gajanan Kirtikar
9. Shri P.K. Kunhalikutty
10. Shri Balabhadra Majhi
11. Shri K.H. Muniyappa
12. Shri A.T. Nana Patil
13. Sadhvi Savitri Bai Phule
14. Shri Vijaya Kumar S.R.
15. Shri R. Radhakrishnan
16. Shri Lakhan Lal Sahu
17. Shri Rajeev Satav
18. Shri G.M. Siddeshwara
19. Shri Ganesh Singh
20. Shri Uday Pratap Singh
21. Vacant **

@ Constituted w.e.f. 01.09.2017 vide Lok Sabha Bulletin Part II No. 5837 dated 26.09.2017.
** Shri Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy resigned w.e.f. 20.06.2018 vide Bulletin Part II
No. 6904 dated 21.06.2018.

(iii)
 Rajya Sabha
22. Shri A.K. Antony
23. Shri Shwait Malik
24. Shri Satish Chandra Misra
25. Shri Mukut Mithi
26. Shri Garikapati Mohan Rao
27. Shri T. Rathinavel
28. Shri Bashistha Narain Singh*
29. Mahant Shambhuprasadji Tundiya
30. Shri Motilal Vora
31. Ms. Saroj Pandey#

* Shri Bashistha Narain Singh retired w.e.f. 02.04.2018 vide Committee Branch-I note dated
16.01.2018 and re-nominated w.e.f. 02.06.2018 vide Bulletin Part II No. 6894 dated 07.06.2018.
# Ms. Saroj Pandey was nominated w.e.f. 02.06.2018 vide Bulletin Part II no. 6894 dated
07.06.2018 in place of Shri Darshan Singh Yadav who retired w.e.f. 02.04.2018 vide
Committee Branch-I note dated 16.01.2018.

(iv)
 COMPOSITION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS
(2018-2019)@

Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay—Chairperson

MEMBERS

Lok Sabha
2. Smt. Anju Bala
3. Shri Ram Tahal Choudhary
4. Shri Pankaj Chowdhary
5. Shri Sudheer Gupta
6. Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal
7. Shri Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar
8. Shri Kunhalikutty P.K.
9. Shri Balabhadra Majhi
10. Dr. K.H. Muniyappa
11. Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu
12. Shri A.T. (Nana) Patil
13. Shri Vijaya Kumar S.R.
14. Shri R. Radhakrishnan
15. Shri Lakhan Lal Sahu
16. Shri Rajeev Shankarrao Satav
17. Prof. (Dr.) Ram Shankar
18. Shri Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddheshwara
19. Shri Ganesh Singh
20. Shri Uday Pratap Singh

21. Shri Kukade Madhukarrao Yashwantrao

@ Constituted w.e.f. 01.09.2018 vide Lok Sabha Bulletin Part II No. 7332 dated 18.09.2018.

(v)
 Rajya Sabha
22. Shri A.K. Antony
23. Shri Shwait Malik
24. Shri Satish Chandra Misra
25. Shri Mukut Mithi
26. Ms. Saroj Pandey
27. Shri Garikapati Mohan Rao
28. Shri T. Rathinavel
29. Shri Bashistha Narain Singh
30. Mahant Shambhuprasadji Tundiya
31. Shri Motilal Vora

SECRETARIAT
1. Smt. Kavita Prasad — Joint Secretary
2. Shri Arun K. Kaushik — Director
3. Shri R.L. Yadav — Deputy Secretary
4. Smt. Banani Sarker Joshi — Sr. Executive Assistant

(vi)
 INTRODUCTION

I, the Chairperson, Standing Committee on Railways (2018-19),

having been authorised by the Committee to Present the Report on their
behalf, present this Twenty-Third Report on `Maintenance of Bridges in
India Railways: A Review´.

2. This Report is based on facts and figures submitted by the

Ministry of Railways and the depositions made by the representatives
of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) before the Committee on
06.11.2017 and 20.11.2017. The Committee considered and adopted the
Report at their sitting held on 20.12.2018. Minutes of the related sitting
are given in the Appendix to the Report.

3. The Committee wish to express their thanks to the officers of

the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) for appearing before the
Committee and furnishing the information that the Committee desired
in connection with the examination of the `Maintenance of Bridges in
Indian Railways: A Review´. They would also like to place on record
their appreciation for the assistance rendered to them by the officials of
Lok Sabha Secretariat attached to the Committee.

4. For facility of reference and convenience, the observation and

recommendations of the Committee have been printed in bold letters in
Part-II of the Report.

NEW DELHI; SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY,

20 December, 2018 Chairperson,
29 Agrahayana, 1940 (Saka) Standing Committee on Railways.

(vii)
 PART I

REPORT

Introductory

1. The Indian Railways have a total track length of 67,368 kilometres

which reach even the remotest areas of the country. Along with tracks, bridges
form the lifeline of rail transport in respect of both the passenger and the
freight traffic in the country. It is an established fact that bridges play a
substantial role in the transportation infrastructure and therefore, their safety
and maintenance must be accorded paramount importance. The Engineering
Department (Civil Engineering) of the Indian Railways is entrusted with the
work of building, maintenance and safety of Railway Bridges.
2. The total number of bridges across the Indian Railways stands
at a total of 1,47,523 bridges as on 01.04.2018.The Indian Railways have
classified bridges under three broad categories based on their waterway:—
(a) IMPORTANT BRIDGE: Bridges with linear waterway of
300 metres or more or a total waterway of 1000 square metres
or more and those Bridges considered as important by the
Principal Chief Engineer/Chief Bridge Engineer, depending
on considerations such as depth of waterway, extent of river
training works and maintenance problems are classified as
Important Bridges.
(b) MAJOR BRIDGE: Bridges with total linear waterway of
18 metres or more or which have a clear opening of 12 linear metres
or more in any one span are classified as Major Bridges, and;
(c) MINOR BRIDGE: Bridges which do not fall in the above
classifications are classified as minor Bridges.

3. The following table shows the number of bridges in each category

Important : 700
Major : 12,085
Minor : 1,34,738
Total : 1,47,523

4. To a query as to whether Road Over Bridges/Rail Under Bridges/

Foot Over Bridges(ROBs/RUBs/FOBs) fall in the category of bridges as
defined by the Railways, the Committee was informed that Railway
bridges are defined as bridges meant for train movement. ROBs and
FOBs are not categorized under railway bridges as they are meant for
road vehicle/pedestrian movement. RUBs are considered as railway
bridges as trains pass over them.

5. Since Railways have been operational in India for more than

160 years it is only natural that a large proportion of rail infrastructure
would be more than a century old. To a query on the total number of
bridges on the Indian Railway that were more than 100 years old, the
Ministry informed that such bridges were 37,689 in number. The
Committee were however assured that the age of the bridge, does not
have direct relevance on the safety of the bridge. Moreover regular repair/
strengthening/rehabilitation/rebuilding of bridge is undertaken whenever
so warranted by its physical condition and not on the basis of age. When
it was pointed out to them that though, at the time of their construction
such bridges were designed to handle much lighter traffic and loads yet
with the advent of railway modernisation, heavier trains with greater
loading capacity have become increasingly prevalent. Given this changing
scenario the Committee wanted to know how the Ministry was ensuring
safety on older bridges and those experiencing increased traffic with
heavier loads. The Ministry in reply have informed that the bridges
designed for the older lighter loading standards were strengthened/rebuilt
to carry the enhanced loading standards. Currently the bridges situated
on Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Feeder Routes and 25 Traffic
identified routes were being strengthened/rebuilt on case to case basis.

In this regard, the Member (Engineering) clarified during the

evidence as under:—

“We have codified some life of the bridges so that we can plan their
replacement but merely, if a bridge is more than 100 years old, it
does not mean that it has outlived its life or it has become unsafe.
So, all the bridges as already have been told, are inspected prior
to monsoon with the purpose that all required repairs have been
done; and after monsoon, they are inspected with the purpose that
whether any additional damage has happened during the passage
of high flood. Depending upon the extent of repair required, they
are repaired. They are repaired with in-house machinery if they
are minor in nature. Supposing any major damage has happened
to the bridge either during the monsoon or due to any accident
or any other reason, then a special project report is prepared. Then,
bridges are sanctioned for taking major repairs.”

2
Bridge Management System

6. The Ministry of Railways have already established the Track

Management System. To a query on whether a similar system has been
envisaged for Bridge management, the Ministry has submitted that the
development of Bridge Management System (BMS) is in progress. The
work for development of this web enabled IT application has been
sanctioned for ` 9.85 crores. The work is being executed by CRIS. The
Committee were further informed that an MoU has been signed with
CRIS regarding the BMS in 2017 and the work was expected to be
completed by March 2019.

Safety on Railway Bridges

7. It is a well acknowledged fact that safety of bridges should be

accorded paramount importance since bridges are more vulnerable as
compared to tracks. Safety of Railway Bridges is entrusted with the
Engineering Department (Civil Engineering) of the Indian Railways. The
Committee were assured that safety of bridges was accorded very high
priority on Indian Railways through a rigorous process of inspections
spanning different levels across the Railways. During the evidence before
the Committee, Member (Engineering) also addressed the issue of
infrastructural stability especially in the light of the pressures of modern
day rail travel as under:—

“The majority of the bridges were constructed when the railway

line was constructed, but gradually as the traffic has increased over
the bridges, as the loading standard has increased, a regular technical
audit is taken in association with, sometimes, RDSO, which is our
centralised design team and most of the time by the Chief Bridge
Engineer of Zonal Railways. As and when, those bridges require,
they are strengthened on a programme basis to carry higher speed
and higher load. In the last five years, more than 4,000 such bridges
have been strengthened. All the time, bridges are kept in safe
condition. If we feel that there are certain bridges where certain
damage has taken place, then a speed restriction is imposed for
a limited period of time during which they are brought down to
the normal standard, and bridges are made fit to run at the normal
speed. Whenever we are introducing any higher loading on any
bridge, again we apply to the Commissioner of Railway Safety
through the Zonal General Manager and then, after due diligence,
those bridges are cleared to carry the higher speed or higher axle
load. Today, in spite of the bridges being old, because of very

3
 meticulous planning and well-established system, I can assure this
august Committee that the bridges are safe, and there is no reason
for any anxiety on that part.”

Inspection System of Railway Bridges

8. The Committee were apprised by the Ministry that the Indian

Railways had a very well established and elaborate system of inspection
and maintenance of railway bridges. The inspections of bridges are of
two broad categories:

• Routine inspections; and

• Special inspections carried out at various levels.

The Ministry further elaborated that all the bridges (including

bridges in sub-urban areas) are inspected at least twice a year, one before
the onset of monsoon and one detailed inspection after the monsoon by
the designated officials. In addition, certain bridges are also inspected
more frequently depending upon their condition. Repair/strengthening/
rehabilitation/rebuilding of railway bridges is a continuous process and
is undertaken whenever so warranted by their physical condition as
ascertained during these inspections and not on the basis of their age.
If the corrective/remedial measures are expected to take a long duration
due to the complexity of the site situation etc., suitable safety measures
like imposing speed restrictions and keeping such bridge under close
watch are taken till the bridge is repaired/strengthened/rehabilitated/
rebuilt. All bridges are safe for train movement at permitted speed.

9. The Ministry was asked to outline the procedures followed and

supervising mechanism involved in the different types of bridge
inspections. The Committee were informed that bridges are inspected
every year before monsoon by Section Engineer (Works)/Section Engineer
(Permanent Way) which cover general condition of foundation,
sub-structure, super-structure, obstructions of water ways, track and
approaches of all the bridges. Every year after the monsoon, the bridges
are thoroughly inspected by Assistant Divisional Engineers (ADENs) and
detailed observations are recorded in Bridge Inspection registers. In
addition, detailed technical inspection of certain bridges is carried out
by Section Engineer (Bridges) at specified interval. Instructions are given
for carrying out repairs of defects noticed during these inspections. Bridge
Registers are then sent for scrutiny and directions of Divisional Engineers
(DENs/Sr. DENs) and further to Chief Engineer/Chief Bridge Engineer.
Based on observations in the registers, bridges requiring inspection at

4
higher level are again inspected by Divisional Engineers and the Chief
Engineer/Chief Bridge Engineer and the remedial actions are taken as
required.

Condition Rating System for Bridges

10. The structural reliability of bridges depends upon a methodical

inspection system. The Indian Railways follow a condition rating system
for its bridges. Every bridge is assigned Numerical rating (1 to 5) based
on physical condition at the time of inspection. The system helps in
identifying progressive deterioration, if any, in the condition of the bridge.
Lower the Overall Rating Number (ORN), more attention is required to
the bridge. Bridges with ORN-1 rating indicates that bridge require
immediate rehabilitation/rebuilding of whole bridge or one or more of
its components whereas bridges with ORN-2 rating require rehabilitation/
rebuilding of the whole bridge or one or more of its components on
programmed basis. Thus, bridges with ORN-2 rating do not require
immediate rehabilitation/rebuilding and/or imposition of speed restriction.

11. To a query on the number of bridges that have been given an

ORN of 1 or 2, the Committee were informed that presently, there is no
bridge with ORN-1 rating. There are 233 bridges assigned with
ORN-2 rating, out of which 190 bridges have been approved for required
rehabilitation/rebuilding. Out of these, 90 bridges are planned for rehabilitation
during 2018-19. The Committee were further informed that during 2017-18,
379 speed restrictions have been removed from the bridges. As
on 01.04.2018, there are 149 Speed Restrictions on bridges, out of
which 121 speed restrictions are planned for removal during
2018-19. So far, 89 speed restrictions have been removed till September, 2018.

12. When the Committee sought clarifications on the factors that

are taken into account while imposing speed restrictions on bridges, the
Ministry informed as under:—

“All bridges requiring rehabilitation may not require speed

restriction. It is not possible to lay down standardized guidelines
for imposing speed restrictions. Based on the detailed inspection
and evaluation, the inspecting official may impose a suitable speed
restriction as considered appropriate. Each case has to be judged
and assessed on its merits by the inspecting officer, keeping in
view the nature and severity of deficiencies noticed. Every such
bridge may not require speed restriction.”

13. The Committee wanted to know about the factors included in

the procedure involving detailed examination of the bridge. The Ministry

5
in reply have provided the information that inspections include the
examination of following:—

• Flooring & Foundations: To ascertain whether there is any

scour around piers/abutments, settlement of foundations etc.

• Masonry in sub-structure: To ascertain whether there is any

crack, bulging, tilting, deterioration due to weathering in the
masonry etc.

• Protective works and water ways: To ascertain whether

protective works such as pitching, guide bunds, approach
banks, flooring etc. are in sound condition and whether water
way is adequate and clear of obstructions.

• Girder alignment and seatings: To ascertain whether bed

blocks and bearings are in sound condition, girder alignment
is correct etc.

• Structural condition of girders: To ascertain whether there is

any loss of cambers in triangulated girders, distortion of
members, incidence of loose rivets/bolts, corrosion in steel
members etc.

• Track structure on bridge: To ascertain the condition of rails,

sleepers, fittings etc.

Under Water Inspection UWI

14. Bridges have an additional component wherein part of the

structure remains permanently submerged under water. For such bridges
there is an elaborate system of Under Water Inspections (UWI). Under
Water Inspection (UWI) is carried out of only those bridges whose
sub-structures remain under water throughout the year. The detailed UWIs
of the underwater portion of such bridges are required to be carried out
only once in every five years. The Ministry has further informed that such
inspections are presently being carried out by the Zonal Railways through
outsourcing. When it was pointed out that given the very large number
of bridges on its network, did the Indian Railways not, feel it necessary
to put in place an in-house system of underwater inspection of bridges
instead of relying on outsourced agencies, which may result in reduced
accountability as well as increased costs, the Ministry in reply have stated
that UWI is a highly specialized job and is carried out by the specialized
agencies engaging divers, specialized equipments etc. They have further
clarified that as compared to the total population of the bridges, only

6
a small fraction of bridges requires UWI, which is fulfilled by outsourcing
and therefore as such no need has been felt for developing the in-house
expertise for UWI.

Staff for Bridge Maintenance

15. The Committee wanted to know the details with regard to staff
specially dedicated for maintenance and inspection of bridges in the Indian
Railways. In reply the Ministry have informed that the sub-structure of
all the bridges and superstructure of small span bridges (less than
12.2 m span) are inspected and maintained by the Divisional staff (SSE/
Works, SSE/PWay units). The superstructure of bridges having spans of
12.2 m and more are inspected and maintained by the Bridge Organization
(SSE/Bridge Units) directly under the Head Quarter of Zonal Railways.

16. To a query on the staff position of SSE/Bridge Units across IR,

the Committee have been informed that while the sanctioned strength
is 7669 the actual strength is only 4517. Thus, there is a shortfall of
around 3152 personnel. The vacancies are being filled up through Railway
Recruitment Cell (RRC)/Railway Recruitment Board (RRB).

17. On being further queried whether such a high rate of vacancy

is affecting the conduct of annual inspections of bridges, including under
water inspection, the Ministry has replied that there is no shortfall of
Annual Inspections of bridges. Under Water Inspection (UWI) of only
those bridges whose substructures remain under water throughout the
year is required to be carried out. The detailed UWIs of such bridges
are required to be carried out once in five years. The Ministry has added
that though by and large, the inspection schedule of UWI has been adhered
to yet there have been slight shortfall in the under water inspections of
some bridges in North East Frontier Railway due to reasons beyond
control such as early onset of monsoon rendering very less working period,
law and order situation in certain areas of Assam, very high turbidity
of water, etc. They however assured the Committee that they were ensuring
that all the overdue underwater inspections are completed during current
year 2018-19.

Security of Bridges

18. The Committee sought to know about the arrangements

regarding the security of bridges in Indian Railways. The Ministry have
informed that as far as security of the bridges are concerned, as per
extant provisions protection and security of tracks, bridges and tunnels
are the responsibility of District Police of concerned States. The Committee

7
also wanted to know about the coordinating mechanism between the
Railways and various agencies entrusted with bridge security. The Ministry
informed that Railways through the Railway Protection Force (RPF) were
maintaining close coordination with Government Railway Police (GRP)
and District Police of concerned States for ensuring smooth train operations
over Indian Railways.

19. As an additional measure and for further strengthening of

coordination with concerned States, State Level Security Coordination
Committees for Railways (SLSCRs) have been constituted in each State
under DGPs of respective States with representatives of RPF, GRP, State
Intelligence and IB. Constitution of SLSCRs has led to regular review of
security over Railways with an aim to address railway related security
issues, including security of railway tracks, bridges and tunnels, at
appropriate level. SLSCR have also been formed with States having border
areas, those affected with insurgency and naxalism etc.

20. An additional point was made by the Committee on the impact

of non-railway related activity on the safety of bridges and how the
Railways were tackling it. The Ministry replied that District Authorities
or Local Authorities have no direct role to play in safety of the bridge
which is the sole responsibility of the Engineering Department of the
Railways. They further pointed out that however in certain cases, safety
of the bridge could be endangered due to the presence of Railway Affecting
Works (RAW) (e.g. some dam/water storage tanks etc. being constructed/
upgraded on the upstream of the bridge) being carried out by the Local
Authorities. To address such concerns the Railways hold regular meetings
with State/Local Authorities for maintenance/upkeep of the RAWs.

Safety of Staff involved in Bridge Inspection

21. As much as safety and security of bridges is vital, equally

important is ensuring the safety of staff associated with it during
maintenance or inspection works etc. The Committee took cognizance of
this fact and put forward a query to the Ministry and sought their position
in this regard. The Ministry in their reply have summarized that the
inspection arrangements are provided at the bridges and man refuges/
side pathways are also being provided wherever required for safety of
the inspection/maintenance personnel. Apart from this, the safety
equipments such as helmets, shoes, gloves etc. are also provided to the
staff. Regarding training targeted towards staff involved in inspection
and maintenance of bridges, the Committee were informed that regular

8
training as well as refresher courses were conducted for the railway staff
from time to time. Counselling of staff of the contractors/outsourced staff
is also done by the field officials.

Strengthening/Rehabilitation/Rebuilding of Bridges

22. Safety of bridges is accorded high priority on Indian Railways.

The Committee were apprised that repair/rehabilitation/rebuilding/
strengthening of bridges is a continuous process on Indian Railways and
is undertaken on the following basis:—

• Based on physical condition ascertained during the regular

inspections.

• Based on design considerations for enhanced loading due to

higher axle load trains, High Powered Locomotives etc.

• Elimination of Obsolete materials (cast iron screw piles, early

steel girders etc.)

• Additional openings based on hydrological considerations to

provide adequate waterway.

• Replacement of small span steel girders to maintain more

uniformity in track structure and to reduce maintenance
efforts.

23. When it was inquired from the Ministry on the protocol being
followed for older bridges, the Ministry clarified that the age of the bridge
does not have direct relevance on the physical condition of the bridge.
Instead, the repair/strengthening/rehabilitation/rebuilding is undertaken
whenever so warranted by its physical condition and not on the basis
of age. Based on the condition of the bridge, if required, suitable safety
measures like imposing speed restrictions and keeping such bridge under
close watch are taken till the bridge is rehabilitated/rebuilt. The bridges
are maintained to ensure safe running of trains all the time at permitted
speed.

Sanction of Bridge Rehabilitation/Strengthening/Rebuilding Works

24. The Committee sought details about the bridge sanctioning

works and the process involved for the same. The Ministry informed that
bridge rehabilitation works are normally carried out as Plan expenditure
under Plan Head-32 of Demand no. 16. The Committee also sought
information on the process followed in the sanctioning of bridge works

9
in Indian Railways. They were apprised that bridge works were proposed
by the Zonal Railways online on IRPSM (Indian Railways Projects
Sanctions & Management) portal about one to four months before the
Annual Budget and were sanctioned by Railway Board in the concerned
Budget Year. Thus, the decision of sanctioning the bridge works proposed
by the Zonal Railways is taken in the same year itself.

25. The bridge works of more than 2.5 crore each are sanctioned
by Railway Board and works of less than 2.5 crore are sanctioned by
Zonal Railways themselves at Headquarter & Divisional Level.

Progress of Construction of New Bridges and Strengthening/

Rehabilitation/Rebuilding of Bridges

26. The Ministry was asked to provide the details of the current
status of bridge works in the Railways. The Committee were informed
that during last three years (2015-16 to 2017-18), 8611 new railway bridges
have been commissioned on account of commissioning of new lines,
doubling etc. 2347 existing bridges have been rehabilitated/rebuilt by the
Ministry during the same period. Regarding the status of bridge
rehabilitation, the Ministry have stated that presently, 3017 railway bridges
have been sanctioned for rehabilitation/rebuilding. The Ministry also
informed that though in general the total time required for completion
of a bridge work, after its sanction in budget, is three to four years, yet,
for important bridges, time required is sometimes greater due to the
various complexities involved.

Allocation, Expenditure and Progress of Bridge Works

27. The Budget allocations since 2013-14 under Plan Head-32

(Bridges) is as under:—

Year BE RE Expenditure
2013-14 513.00 382.69 390.19
2014-15 403.00 465.04 441.09
2015-16 559.90 491.39 520.01
2016-17 588.53 591.91 494.75
2017-18 746.40 705.30 452.98

28. Every year, several hundreds of bridges are taken up for

strengthening/rehabilitation/rebuilding. The progress of rebuilding/

10
rehabilitation/strengthening of bridges in Indian Railways during the last
five years since 2012-13 is given in the Table below:—

Year Physical Progress (No. of bridges)

Target Progress
2012-13 702 806
2013-14 591 739
2014-15 620 672
2015-16 670 705
2016-17 750 753
2017-18 800 889
Total 4133 4564

29. Additionally, the Committee was apprised that during 2001-02

to 2010-11, a total of 12650 railway bridges were rehabilitated/rebuilt
under the Special Railway Safety Fund (SRSF). This exercise was
undertaken with a view to clear the backlog of rehabilitation/replacement
of railway bridges in Indian Railway. This gave impetus to work of
rehabilitation/rebuilding during the said period.

Recommendations of the Kakodkar Committee Report

30. The Ministry had appointed a High Level Safety Review

Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Anil Kakodkar in 2012 to
review the safety of the Indian Railways and recommend improvements.
The Committee desired to know about the recommendations of the
Committee on different aspects of bridges, such as safety, maintenance,
etc. They also sought information on the status of implementation of
such recommendations. In reply the Ministry have provided the
information as tabulated below:—

Recommendation Decision of the Board Status

1 2 3
For recording and Accepted. i. For modernizing the
monitoring the condition of Bridge inspection and
distressed bridges, minimizing the human
photographs should be errors, inspection of
taken using modern hand railway Bridges by
held electronic cameras and Drones has been
should be posted on MIS/ considered. This will
sent through Internet to all help in capturing the
concerned expert engineers Photographs/Videos of

11
 1 2 3
having vast experience. different parts of
(Para 5.5) bridges including
inaccessible parts.
Zonal railways have
been advised to do
Drone Inspection of
identified mega
bridges in the first
phase.
ii. A separate work of
developing Bridge
Management System
(BMS) has been
sanctioned in Budget
2016-17. This-will be a
web based IT
application that will
facilitate 24x7
availability of
information for
meaningful analysis
related to the safety
item. This will
help in improving
maintainability and
safety of bridges. BMS
will also be integrated
with instrumentation
on bridges so as to
record the bridge
parameters in real
time. The work is
being executed by
CRIS.
Vulnerable bridges should Recommendation Zonal Railways have
be fitted with water level partially accepted identified 151 bridges for
gauges and turbine flow Water level gauges installation and
meters to measure flow should be provided. commissioning of water
which should be level monitoring system. At
interlocked in a way to 117 locations system has
warn the driver of the been installed and
approaching train. (Para commissioned. On the
5.5). balance bridges the system
is expected to be installed
before Monsoon 2019.
Possibility of using Hooter
System at station to warn
the driver is being
explored. Scour-cum-Water

12
 1 2 3
Level Monitoring System is
also being explored.
Distressed and vulnerable Recommendation The following actions have
bridges should be partially accepted. been taken with respect to
instrumented in terms of Suitable arrangements the important items
deflections/displacements, for measuring required to be monitored
water level and flow important parameters for vulnerable bridges:
velocity on a continuous of selected distressed/ Under Water Inspection of
basis and data should be vulnerable bridges Railway Bridges by
communicated to the office would be provided. Remote Operated Vehicle
of the concerned Chief (ROV) technology: A trial
Bridge Engineer for inspection using ROV
monitoring. Advanced technology has been
scientific measurement and undertaken in NR.
inspection for the condition
assessment of the under- Drone Survey of Bridges:
side of the bridges using 5 Zonal Railways viz. NR,
mobile and articulating NFR, WCR, SR and SER
platform is essential. (Para have undertaken trial
5.6) inspection using Drone
Survey method.
Water Level Monitoring
system: The system has so
far been successfully
installed in 117 bridges on
Indian Railways.
3D Scanning of river beds
in proximity of Railway
Bridges: Scanning has been
conducted on 2 nos. of
bridges in NR viz.
New Yamuna Bridge and
Ganga Bridge at Garh-
mukteshwar.

New Technologies in Bridge Construction

31. On being asked about the new technologies that have been
implemented by the Ministry in the sphere of bridge construction, the
Ministry in their written submission furnished as under:—

“The following new technologies have been adopted by Indian

Railways in the field of bridge construction & maintenance:

13
 (i) Use of Modern Spherical & Cylindrical Bearings on Bridges

With the introduction of higher axle load trains and powerful

locomotives, the bridges are required to be designed
accordingly. Bearings are also to be designed to transmit
higher axle load and longitudinal forces safely with required
translational and rotational movement. Conventional bearings
being used on IR are not able to transmit higher forces. In
this regard, modern spherical/cylindrical bearings are able to
transmit higher loads with required translational and
rotational movements. In addition, these bearings match the
life of the bridge thereby avoiding the need for replacement
during service life of bridge.

This type of bearings is being used worldwide and it has

been used for the first time on Indian railways on recently
commissioned new Jubilee Bridge across Hooghly River,
Jhajjar Bridge in J&K Project and under construction Bogibeel
bridge across Brahmaputra River near Dibrugarh. Spherical
bearings are also being used in several mega bridges under
construction in J&K Project.

Keeping in view the benefits associated with the spherical

bearings, it has been decided to use them for bridges of longer
spans of 61.0 m. It is being planned to permit spherical bearing
for lesser spans also.

(ii) Girder launching using Cable cranes

Launching of steel girders for tall and long span bridges is

a herculean task. Now a days cable cranes are being used
worldwide for launching of such type of girders. On Indian
railways, this technology is being used for the first time in
under construction Chenab Bridge in J&K project. Cable crane
assembly including pylons at span of 915 meters for launching
of arch segments of the bridge is the longest in the world.
The height of the pylons is staggering 127m. This technology
is also envisaged for construction of many more bridges being
constructed in hilly terrain.

(iii) Continuous Water Level Monitoring system at bridges

Flood Water level at the identified railway bridges are required

to be regularly monitored so as to take appropriate action
as and when the water level reaches/crosses the threshold
limit for safe movement of rail traffic. Presently, water level
14
 is monitored by stationary watchman. This system requires
lot of manpower and also prone to human errors. In order
to remotely monitor the water level, a pilot project on
Continuous Water Level Measuring Instrument (WLMI) has
been successfully completed in 2015. In this system, water
level can be monitored from anywhere through SMS alerts.
It eliminates the need of posting stationary watchman. It has
been decided to install the system on all important/vulnerable
bridges. In the first phase, Railways have identified
151 bridges, out of which system has been installed and
commissioned on 117 bridges.

(iv) Stainless steel reinforcement for corrosion protection

Prevention of corrosion in reinforcement is essential for overall

durability of RCC/PSC structures and also to enhance the life
of the structure. It is more important for Major and Important
Bridges as replacement or retrofitment of these bridges possess
big challenges.

In order to enhance the life of concrete bridges, decision has

been taken to use stainless steel reinforcement bars for new
bridges and other structures in corrosion prone areas.

(v) Use of Completely Welded Steel Girders

Presently, the steel girders being used on IR are welded cum

riveted/bolted. In this design, the built-up members are
welded but the connections/joints are bolted. The current trend
is to use completely welded girders in advanced countries.
The fully welded girders are not only aesthetically pleasing
but are also lighter in weight as compared to conventional
welded girders having riveted/bolted joints. These girders
require less maintenance also.

For the first time in India, completely welded steel girders

are being used in construction of Bogibeel rail-cum-Road
Bridge across mighty Brahmaputra River at Dibrugarh, Assam.
Now, it is being contemplated to use completely welded
girders in big way on Indian Railways by improving the
design, quality of field welding and weld testing procedures.

(vi) Under Water Inspection of Bridges

Those parts of the bridge which remain under water

throughout the year are required to be inspected as these
15
 parts are prone to deterioration due to scouring, effects of
chemical in water, deterioration of the sub structure,
weathering etc. Presently, the detailed under water inspection
is carried out by trained divers by visual inspections, with
NDT equipments, still and video cameras which have lot of
subjectivity.

In order to minimize human intervention, advanced

technology of using robotic Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)
has been adopted on trial basis at one bridge each in Southern
Railway and Northern Railway. Using this technique,
dependency on diver is eliminated and all the submerged
parts of the bridge can be inspected and monitored remotely
from the Bridge/Bank.”

Use of Modern/alternative technology in monitoring of Bridges

32. The Indian Railways is currently using the Indian Space

Research Organisation’s (ISRO) satellite based system to prevent accidents
and for track surveillance. The Ministry was asked whether they were
adopting the same technology for monitoring bridges for strength, safety,
etc. In reply, the Ministry provided the information that ISRO’s satellites
are not being used for monitoring bridges. However, they were envisaging
the use of drones for inspection of bridges. The Ministry is of the view
that the highly inaccessible parts of the bridges can be reached with great
ease without the need of costly vehicles, ladders etc. with the help of
drones. The details (photographs, videos etc.) captured by drones can be
analyzed to assess the condition of the components. The Committee was
apprised that with the data captured by drones, 3D modelling would
become possible which in turn would be a highly beneficial and cost-
effective alternative to the conventional methods of inspection and
maintenance currently in practice. Regarding the current status, the
Ministry informed that instructions have been issued to zonal railways
to carry out trials for taking further decision in this regard.

16
 PART II

RECOMMENDATIONS/OBSERVATIONS

1. The Committee note that the Indian Railways has a staggering

1,47,523 number of bridges across its immense network. The Committee
further note that the Indian Railways have classified bridges under three
broad categories which are based on the breadth of their waterway. Bridges
with a linear waterway of 300 metres are classified as Important Bridges
and those with a linear waterway of 18 metres are classified as Major
Bridges. All other bridges are classified as Minor Bridges. This classification
effectively relegates 92 percent of the bridges in the Indian Railways to
the Minor Bridge category. The Committee feel that such a categorization
is too broad and may lead to exclusion of large number of bridges and
in view of the fact that there exists different parameters for inspections,
maintenance etc. of bridges, such a wide difference would result in unequal
weightage/importance being given to only a few bridges as compared to
vast majority. The Committee express their reservations on the above
mentioned classification and recommend that the Ministry should re-
evaluate their classification of bridges in order to bring about some parity.
They also recommend that this re-evaluation should take into account the
changing dynamics of modern rail transportation which sees the use of
heavier and faster trains and higher density of traffic regardless of the
measurement of waterways. The Committee strongly feel that such a step
would result in augmented safety and security of bridges.

2. The Committee find to their surprise that though the 37,689

number of bridges on its network are 100 years or older, yet the Railways
do not classify them as a special/separate segment. Rather they are
kept at par with the existing newer/modern bridges when it comes to
inspections and maintenance. The Committee express serious doubts
over such an action and opine that these bridges have been planned
for lesser loads and service conditions that have changed radically over
time. Axle loads and traffic density have increased with the advent of
faster and heavier trains and safety of these old bridges may be severely
compromised which may lead to safety failures. The Committee are
of the considered opinion that the (now) obsolete technology and
materials used in these old bridges may not be compliant with modern
rail paraphernalia and hence there would be a requirement of a different
protocol when it comes to their upkeep and sustenance. The Committee
also opine that deficiencies related to aging bridges can become a major
concern for their structural safety. As such, the Committee do not concur

17
with the contention of the Ministry that the age of a bridge has no direct
bearing on its safety and it is only the physical condition of the bridge
that is taken into account while classifying a bridge. The Committee
wish to remind the Ministry that such a generalization would be
detrimental to the health of a bridge since the archaic technology/materials
of these older bridges may not be able to withstand the rigours of modern
rail transport equipment. It should also be taken into account that these
bridges have withstood the stress and rigours of over a century suffering
corrosion, distress, wear and tear. The Committee would like to emphasize
that with the advent of modern rail transportation, older bridges may
be unable to withstand higher load and speed, resulting in accidents
or compromising with punctuality. The Committee also take cognizance
of the fact that several of these structures have formidable heritage value
and are intrinsically linked to the history of the country and overuse
or misuse of these structures may erode their historical value. While the
Committee are aware of the commercial concerns as well as financial
limitations of the Ministry yet they feel that safety is paramount and
should not be compromised at anytime. They therefore advise the
Ministry to devise a protocol of inspection and maintenance to include
a greater degree of safety/safeguards for bridges which come under this
category while keeping their commercial interests intact.

3. The Committee find that the Ministry have laid the

groundwork for a bridge management system. This would serve as a
long run structural health management system for bridges. The
Committee appreciate this endeavour of the Ministry, but at the same
time they wish to remind the Ministry that the deadline of completion
i.e., March 2019 should be strictly adhered to in order to gain maximum
benefit from such an excellent venture. The Committee would like to
be kept apprised of any action in this regard.

4. Taking note of the elaborate system of inspection and

maintenance laid down for bridges across the Indian Railways, the
Committee are of the firm opinion that bridges being more vulnerable
than tracks require a more robust system of inspection. According to
the Ministry inspection of bridges are multi-tiered and, meticulously
inspected under a codified system at fixed intervals of time. The
Railways treat the physical condition of the bridge as the primary
indicator while deciding on the quantum of maintenance or
rehabilitation. The Committee also find that till such time as repair/
rehabilitation of a bridge is complete, the Ministry takes a number of
steps to ensure safe passage such as speed restrictions. Although very
few bridges requiring rehabilitation have speed restrictions, yet the
Committee feel that in an already congested rail network any delay
is likely to over-burden the system. Since major repairs take a
considerable periods, prolonged periods of speed restrictions can be
counter-productive and negatively impact punctuality. Nonetheless it

18
cannot be denied that maintenance negligence and delayed actions
invariably lead to heavy costs in future or risk of deterioration of assets.
The Committee acknowledge that the introduction of the Indian
Railways Projects Sanctions & Management (IRPS&M) system has
simplified the process of identification of bridges and getting approval
of the competent authorities for their rehabilitation. The Committee,
therefore, recommend that the Ministry should pragmatically approach
the matter by striking a balance between maintenance and safety of
bridges while at the same time adhering to realistic timelines.

5. The Committee find that the Indian Railways depends on a

methodical system of inspection where conditional ratings are given
based on the physical condition at the time of assessment by the
inspecting authority. The Committee also find that the Ministry relies
heavily on the visual perception and evaluation of the inspecting
official. The Committee feel that such a system puts an undue heavy
strain on the wisdom of the inspector and their adherence to prescribed
norms/procedures. In such a scenario there is a distinct possibility of
subjectivity creeping in as perceptions are often open to interpretations.
The Ministry have also themselves admitted that they do not have a
standardised guideline for imposing speed restrictions. They, therefore,
recommend the Railways to formulate definitive guidelines for bridge
inspections including those for speed restrictions in order to eliminate
the need for speculation on the part of the assessing officer. Such
guidelines should be comprehensive, unambiguous and include all
aspects or possible scenarios of bridge inspections. Further, the
Committee recommend that the Railways should design intensive
training courses/modules for officials connected with bridge inspections
keeping in mind the latest technological expertise in the sphere of
bridge management/ maintenance etc. being adopted across the world.

6. The Committee feel that the Ministry should explore the use
of modern technology for inspection of bridges which may be beneficial
in early detection of damage and lower maintenance costs. The
Committee also desire the Ministry to study the modern methods being
used by the Railways of other countries and endeavour to bring/
implement such technologies and systems across our own network.
The Committee are happy to note that the Ministry is utilizing satellite
imagery for detecting faults on its tracks and feel that they should
extend this initiative for bridges also which would vastly minimize
human error and reduce maintenance costs. The Committee wish to
put forward the viewpoint that to improve or inculcate new bridge
technology or newer methods of inspection, the Railways must engage
with global partners such as Railways of other countries and premier
institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) etc. Such
a collaboration may provide stimulus and encourage rail research and
lead to innovations in technology in respect of bridges. The Committee
19
feel that in addition to introduction of new technologies the Ministry
should also study their efficacy or impact on the system. The Committee
therefore recommend that the Ministry should make a comprehensive
survey/study to analyse the benefits as well as effectiveness accrued
and whether there has been a marked improvement in rail/bridge safety
as a result of the implementation of such technologies.

7. The Committee find that underwater inspection of bridges are

carried out only once in every 5 years on bridges which have structures
partially submerged underwater permanently. The Committee feel that
with the pressure of expansion of rail traffic such an interval is too
large. Heavier/faster trains at greater frequency is bound to put greater
stress and hasten the wear and tear of the bridge structure. Given such
a situation, the Committee would like the Ministry to consider
increasing the frequency of underwater inspections of bridges to
preserve their worthiness and preventing untoward incidents. The
Committee also find that that underwater inspections are carried out
by outsourced agencies. The Committee do not concur with the
Ministry’s justification that since underwater inspections are highly
specialized they are required to be carried out by specialized agencies.
The contention of the Ministry that since only a small percentage of
bridges required underwater inspections hence the capability was not
developed in-house is not acceptable to the Committee. The Committee
have been informed that the Ministry has started a trial of using a
Remote operated Vehicle (ROV) for conducting underwater inspections
of bridges. The Committee laud this initiative and recommend that the
Ministry should give greater impetus to proliferation of this technology
as it would not only be cost effective but also gradually negate the
need of physical examination currently being followed. This would
consequently reduce the dependence on the outsourced agencies.

8. The Committee find that the Indian Railways have dedicated

category of staff for inspection and maintenance of bridges. However
the Committee find to their chagrin that there exists a very high rate
of vacancy in this category of staff. As against a sanctioned strength
of 7669, the actual strength is only 4517 indicating a vacancy of around
40 per cent. Admittedly, the lack of manpower have negatively affected
their inspection routine and most acutely in the northeast frontier
Railway. The Committee feel that this is a grave lapse on the part of
the Ministry in ensuring safety of rail traffic. As earlier observed, the
bridges are the most vulnerable link on the Railways and lack of
manpower in this segment is bound to create gaps in inspection and
maintenance which may compromise Railway safety. The Committee,
therefore, direct the Ministry to shake off its inertia and fill up these
vacancies in the shortest possible time and in the right earnest. The
Committee also recommend that till the time such vacancies are filled
the Ministry should set up some temporary measures like filling up
20
these posts through deputation etc. to tide over the shortage. They can
approach other government agencies which have bridge features such
as defence, highway authorities, road agencies etc. to help fill up these
posts temporarily. The Committee would like to be kept apprised of
steps taken in this regard.

9. The Committee are of the opinion that natural calamities/

hazards like earthquakes, fire, cyclones, floods etc. have a greater
devastating impact on the structural stability of bridges as compared
to other rail infrastructure. It is seen that even if the bridge is structurally
sound yet damage caused by natural calamities are amplified due to
their vulnerability. These instances not only cause loss in terms of
social, economic and financial terms but they also disrupt rail traffic.
Further it is pointed out that in certain remote parts of the country
Railway bridges often form the lone lifeline for communications
and transportation and any damage to them totally isolates them from
the rest of the country. Since there is no prevention or control over
natural calamities the Ministry should have a prior planning for prompt
rehabilitation and protection from injuries, loss of life, property damage,
and destruction of bridges in the eventuality of natural calamities.

10. The Committee find that in the last 3 years the Railways
have commissioned 8611 new bridges on account of expansion of rail
network. Moreover 4027 existing bridges have been approved for
rehabilitation. The Committee also find that in the last 3 years 2347
existing bridges have been rehabilitated. The Committee wish to remind
the Ministry that with a total bridge population of over 1.4 lakh bridges
these numbers are highly insignificant and in their opinion not
proportionate to the number of bridges requiring upgradation. As
regards the physical performance of bridge works the Committee was
informed that targets are set on a yearly basis. The Committee are
happy to note that the Ministry has been achieving the targets and
exceeding them in some years. They, however, feel that the targets
being set by the Ministry are too modest and unrealistic and recommend
that the Ministry make a realistic evaluation of its bridge infrastructure
and set targets appropriately. At the same time the Committee wish
to caution the Ministry against setting ambitious targets that neither
receive allocation nor abide by timelines. However in terms of allocation
and utilization the Ministry appears to be falling short. In most years,
the allocation was reduced at the RE stage significantly yet the Ministry
was unable to fully utilise the resources. In the light of the fact that
the Railways have been experiencing severe funds limitations in the
last two decades, unspent funds point to lack of proper planning by
the Ministry in executing works of such paramount importance. The
Committee are unhappy to note that year after year there have been
a reduction at the RE stage. The Ministry cannot take recourse to their
oft quoted excuse of lack of funds in this regard. The Committee are
21
of the strong opinion that reduction of funds at RE stage points to the
inefficacy of the planning process of the Ministry or short sightedness
in assigning targets. The Committee therefore urge the Ministry to
keep a strong grip on its finances and set realistic targets and goals.
The Committee note with concern that with the exception of financial
year 2014-15, the monies have been greatly reduced. They, therefore,
recommend that the Ministry take proactive steps in order to fully
utilize its allocations keeping with the timelines.

11. The Committee find that the Ministry had set up High Level
Safety Review Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Anil
Kakodkar in 2012 to review the safety of the Indian Railways and
recommend improvements thereto. This Committee had made some
recommendations regarding safety and maintenance of bridges.
However to their disappointment, the Committee find that even after
a gap of 6 years the Ministry has only partially accepted some of these
recommendations. The Committee are dissatisfied to note that there
have been numerous occasions when the Ministry has disregarded or
overlooked the recommendations of these Committees whose sole
purpose is to suggest better methods for rail management. They
recommend the Ministry to prescribe a time bound implementation of
the recommendations of this Expert Committee and their
implementation should be monitored at the highest level. The
Committee would like to be kept apprised of any actions taken in this
regard.

12. The Committee find that the Railways have adopted and
implemented a number of new technologies in the sphere of bridge
construction. At the same time, they are also trying to develop new
technologies under the aegis of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. They
also note that the Ministry is considering the use of drones for use
in assessing the condition of bridges. The Committee feel that such
aerial devices are not only cost effective but they are more efficient
and less hazardous for inspecting staff. They can also be used much
more frequently than traditional methods of inspections. Moreover 3D
mapping of bridges can help authorities with long term repair/
maintenance plans. The Committee laud this unique initiative of the
Ministry to harness new technologies and advise them to begin its
implementation at the earliest.

NEW DELHI; SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY,

20 December, 2018 Chairperson,
29 Agrahayana, 1940 (Saka) Standing Committee on Railways.

22
 APPENDIX

MINUTES OF THE SECOND SITTING OF THE STANDING

COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS (2017-18)

The Committee met on Monday, the 6th November, 2017 from

1100 hrs. to 1300 hrs. in Committee Room `C´, Parliament House Annexe,
New Delhi.

PRESENT

Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay—Chairperson

MEMBERS

Lok Sabha

2. Shri Ram Tahal Choudhary

3. Shri Sudheer Gupta

4. Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi

5. Shri Ramesh Chander Kaushik

6. Dr. K.H. Muniyappa

7. Shri R. Radhakrishnan

8. Shri Rajeev Shankarrao Satav

9. Shri Uday Pratap Singh

Rajya Sabha

10. Shri Satish Chandra Misra

11. Shri Mukut Mithi

12. Shri Bashistha Narain Singh

13. Shri Motilal Vora

23
 SECRETARIAT
1. Smt. Abha Singh Yaduvanshi — Joint Secretary
2. Shri Arun K. Kaushik — Director
3. Shri R.L. Yadav — Deputy Secretary

Representatives of the Ministry of Railways

(Railway Board)

1. Shri Ashwani Lohani — Chairman, Railway Board

and Ex-officio Principal
Secretary to the
Government of India

2. Shri Mohd. Jamshed — Member-Traffic, Railway

Board and Ex-officio
Secretary to the
Government of India

3. Shri Ravindra Gupta — Member-Rolling Stock,

Railway Board and
Ex-officio Secretary to the
Government of India

4. Shri Mahesh Kumar Gupta — M e m b e r- E n g i n e e r i n g ,

Railway Board & Ex-officio
Secretary to the
Government of India

2. At the outset, the Chairperson welcomed the Members to the

sitting of the Committee, *** *** ***

3. Thereafter, the Chairperson welcomed the representatives of

the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) to the sitting and invited their
attention to the provisions contained in Direction 55 of the Directions
by the Speaker, Lok Sabha regarding the proceedings to be treated as
confidential.

4. The representatives of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board)

then briefed the Committee on the subjects (i) *** *** *** (ii) Maintenance
of Bridges in Indian Railways: A Review.

5. *** *** *** ***

24
 6. On the issue of Bridges in Indian Railways, he informed that
they have roughly 1,44,698 bridges of which more than 37000 bridges
are more than 100 years old. However, he stated that the Railways have
a very robust system of maintenance and inspection of bridges across all
levels from Board, Zone to Division level.

7. The Committee, then, sought certain clarifications from the

Chairman, Railway Board on the subjects under examination and also
gave various suggestions in this regard. The Chairperson directed the
Ministry to provide written replies to the queries which remained
unanswered. The evidence remained inconclusive.

8. A verbatim record of the sitting has been kept.

The Committee, then, adjourned.

*** Not related to the Report.

25
 MINUTES OF THE THIRD SITTING OF THE STANDING
COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS (2017-2018)

The Committee met on Monday, the 20th November, 2017 from

1130 hrs. to 1310 hrs. in Committee Room No. `2´, Parliament House
Annexe Extension Building, New Delhi.

Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay—Chairperson

MEMBERS

Lok Sabha
2. Shri Ram Tahal Choudhary
3. Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi
4. Shri Ramesh Chander Kaushik
5. Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu
6. Shri A.T. Nana Patil
7. Shri S. R. Vijayakumar
8. Shri Mekapati Raja Mohan Reddy
9. Shri Lakhan Lal Sahu
10. Shri Rajeev Satav
11. Shri Uday Pratap Singh

Rajya Sabha
12. Shri A. K. Antony
13. Shri Satish Chandra Misra
14. Shri Garikapati Mohan Rao
15. Shri Bashistha Narain Singh

SECRETARIAT
1. Smt. Abha Singh Yaduvanshi — Joint Secretary
2. Shri Arun K. Kaushik — Director
3. Shri Ram Lal Yadav — Deputy Secretary

26
 Representatives of the Ministry of Railways
(Railway Board)
1. Shri Ashwani Lohani — Chairman, Railway Board
and Ex-officio Principal
Secretary to the
Government of India
2. Shri Mahesh Kumar Gupta — M e m b e r- E n g i n e e r i n g ,
Railway Board and
Ex-officio Secretary to the
Government of India
3. Shri Ravindra Gupta — Member-Rolling Stock,
Railway Board and
Ex-officio Secretary to the
Government of India
4. Shri Mohd. Jamshed — Member-Traffic, Railway
Board and Ex-officio
Secretary to the
Government of India
5. Shri Ghanshyam Singh — Member Traction, Railway
Board and Ex-officio
Secretary to the
Government of India
6. Shri Dharmendra Singh — Director General, RPF
7. Shri Akhil Agrawal — Director General, Signal
and Telecom
8. Shri Alok Ranjan — Addl. Member (Civil
Engg.)

2. At the outset, the Chairperson welcomed the Members to the

sitting of the Committee, *** *** ***

3. Thereafter, the Chairperson welcomed the representatives of the

Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) to the sitting and invited their
attention to the provisions contained in Direction 55 of the Directions
by the Speaker, Lok Sabha regarding the proceedings to be treated as
confidential.

4. The Committee then took evidence of the representatives of

the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) on the subjects (i) *** *** ***

27
(ii) Maintenance of Bridges in Indian Railways: A Review, *** *** ***
Regarding the issues on Maintenance of Railway Bridges, the Committee
wanted the Ministry to address the issue of safety of bridges older than
100 years especially in light of the introduction of faster and heavier
trains. The representatives of the Ministry replied to the queries of the
Members. The Chairperson directed the Ministry to provide written replies
to the queries which remained unanswered.

5. *** *** *** ***

6. A verbatim record of the proceedings of the Committee has been
kept.

The Committee, then, adjourned.

*** Not related to the Report.

28
 MINUTES OF THE THIRD SITTING OF THE STANDING
COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS (2018-19)

The Committee met on Thursday, the 20th December, 2018 from

1500 hrs. to 1520 hrs. in Committee Room No. `2´, Block A, Parliament
House Annexe Extension Building, New Delhi.

PRESENT

Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay—Chairperson

MEMBERS

Lok Sabha
2. Smt. Anju Bala
3. Shri Ram Tahal Choudhary
4. Shri Gajanan Kirtikar
5. Shri Balabhadra Majhi
6. Shri K. H. Muniyappa
7. Shri A. T. Nana Patil
8. Shri Rajeev Satav
9. Shri Uday Pratap Singh
10. Shri Kukade Madhukarrao Yashwantrao

SECRETARIAT
1. Smt. Kavita Prasad — Joint Secretary
2. Shri Arun K. Kaushik — Director
3. Shri R.L. Yadav — Deputy Secretary

2. At the outset, the Chairperson welcomed the Members to the

sitting of the Committee. Thereafter, the Committee took up for
consideration the following draft Reports:—

(i) *** *** *** ***

(ii) ‘Maintenance of Bridges in Indian Railways: A Review’

29
 The Committee adopted the above mentioned Reports without
any modification.

3. The Committee also authorized the Chairperson to finalise the

Reports and present the same to Parliament.

The Committee, then, adjourned.

*** Not related to the Report.

30