The Hindu Business Line : ‘We are confident of retaining top-freight-mover status’

The biggest challenge before the SECR now is how to increase capacity at the earliest. And this means not only new lines but also additions to wagons, locomotives and signalling systems.

MR PRADEEP KUMAR, GENERAL MANAGER, SECR

Santanu Sanyal

Recently in Bilaspur

Till March 31, 2003, Bilaspur Division of the South Eastern Railway was the largest freight-loading division of the Indian Railways. From April 1, 2003, Bilaspur became the headquarters of the newly-formed zonal railway South East Central Railway (SECR), which is now the largest freight-loading railway zone. Mr Pradeep Kumar, General Manager of SECR, in an interview to Business Line in his office at Bilaspur recently, discussed various issues facing his zone.

SECR is the largest freight-loading zonal railway. How do you expect the performance to be in the current fiscal vis-À-vis 2006-07?

Yes, SECR is number one in freight-loading and will remain so this fiscal also, though I must admit that several other zonal railways too are becoming growing competition. In 2006-07, we handled 109.12 million tonnes (mt) of originating freight traffic.

The official target for the current fiscal has been set at 119 mt, and the internal target at 121 mt. We’re confident of reaching 119 mt and, with a little luck, even 121 mt.

What has been the throughput so far?

Till January, the throughput, at 99.6 mt, was as per the target. In February so far the growth has been impressive, the average daily loading being 13,700 wagons (in terms of four-wheelers), against the targeted 13,100. Barring unforeseen developments…..

Like …

Major disturbances, not only areas in my zone but also in other zones. For example, the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan hit our freight movement. Similarly, any major rail accident or natural calamities affecting freight movement for more than 24 hours could be a matter of concern to us.

How would you explain the improvement in freight loading so far?

I would attribute it to certain critical decisions of the Railway Board. For example, we had our share in the Special Railway Safety Fund and we used it to strengthen infrastructure, particularly, tracks and signalling systems. Also, the decision to enhance the carrying capacity of certain types of freight wagons (CC plus 6 and CC plus 8) stood us in good stead.

Will it not lead to higher wear and tear of wagons?

But assets must be utilised intensively and fully. In my opinion, fuller utilisation of assets causing lower life is a better option than underutilisation with longer life. Wagon repairs may have increased but not to the extent to compromise the safety aspect. Our system can take care of the increased burden of repairs still, within the manageable limit.

Any other reason?

There have been higher Plan allocations, at Rs 700 crore for 2007-08, vis-À-vis 2006-07. Today we are being encouraged to identify projects for sanctions.

But then sanctioning projects is not enough; the implementation too ….

I couldn’t agree with you more. Unless a project is very big, it shouldn’t normally take more than three years to complete it from the date of sanction. We have one project, the 280-km long gauge conversion project between Gondia and Jabalpur, which was sanctioned several years ago but not completed yet.

We took it up with the Rail Board, and the Railway Minister has set 2010 has the target date for completion. But, then, new projects also include modification and modernisation of yards and additions to looplines, sidings, goods-sheds and bypass lines which give results almost instantaneously.

Coal continues to be the single largest item in your traffic. Is such overdependence on one item desirable?

Coal accounts for more than 71 per cent of our total traffic and it will continue to be so. We have no choice. I do not see any change in scenario in foreseeable future. We transport coal to Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, the average lead being around 700 km.

Carrying coal is a paying proposition for us. We operate in three major coal-producing areas, namely, Korba, Ib Valley and Central India Coalfields. Our daily average loading at Korba jumped from 24/25 rakes in 2006-07 to 29/30 in the current fiscal, likely to rise further to 34/35 in 2008-09. The loading in Ib Valley is also poised for a growth. However, the loading at CIC is stagnating.

Other commodities?

Next to coal, the second important basket of commodities is the raw materials for steel plants, such as iron ore, dolomite and limestone, together accounting for 11 per cent share. Bhilai steel plant is the only integrated steel plant SECR serves, but the mushrooming of sponge iron units in Raigarh and Jharsuguda areas is holding out big promise. Cement is the third highest transported freight item, with eight per cent share but the traffic this year has remained stagnant.

Aren’t you targeting new items?

Yes, we’re targeting containerised traffic, bauxite, manganese ore and limited quantities of bamboo products.

What is the biggest challenge facing SECR?

The biggest challenge before the SECR now is how to increase the capacity at the earliest. By capacity increase, I mean not only new line capacity but also additions to wagons, locomotives and signalling systems.

SECR will find it difficult to achieve a traffic target of 130 mt or more for 2008-09, given the present state of capacity.

Part of the 320-km long Bilaspur-Anuppur-Katni route is a single line network, which must be doubled soon to meet the projected growth in both passenger and freight traffic on the route.

Similarly, we must complete within two years the construction of the third line between Bilaspur and Durg via Raipur. The work on the automatic signalling system between Gondia and Nagpur has to be expedited.

We have completed the work on the bypass line to boost coal movement to Sambalpur without touching Jharsuguda and more such bypass lines are needed. We have approached the Railway Board for construction of a third line between Jharsuguda and Champa.

There is another point. SECR being the country’s major freight-loading zonal railway, the focus is generally on freight movement. But I must emphasise that more facilities for passenger movement are the crying need of the day. The aspirations of the people in the areas we serve are increasing and they are becoming more and more vocal and assertive about their demands.

How serious is the Maoist problem?

Mercifully, except in the Balaghat area in Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas in Maharashtra, we have been largely free from any such problem so far.

But the proposal to construct, in partnership with NMDC, Chhattisgarh Government and Steel Authority of India Limited, a new railway line from Rowghat to Jagdalpur over a distance of 138kms through areas controlled by the Maoists remains a matter of concern. Frankly, we do not know what will happen.