Railways to introduce fuel-efficient multi-genset locomotives

New Delhi, Aug 21:  

As diesel prices soar, Indian Railways is looking to adopt more fuel-efficient diesel locomotives that could lower fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent.

Indian Railways, the single largest diesel consumer in the country, has had to pay market linked prices for diesel, without any subsidies, since January.

According to an official release, the Indian Railways has undertaken the development of prototype multi-genset locomotives in the medium horse power range with three gensets of 800 Horsed Power (HP) each amounting to a gross horse power of 2400.

The trial of first multi-genset locomotive is already undergoing as a pilot project at Itarsi of Bhopal Division in West Central Railway.

These locos promise to reduce the fuel consumption by about 20 per cent for delivering the same power, the release added.

At present, there are over 500 multi-genset locomotives in the US in the medium HP range and Bombardier has an order or manufacturing 200 multi-genset locomotives for the German state Railways, according to the release.  

scrapping of the new pension scheme (NPS

New Delhi, Aug 12:  

The All India Railwaymen Federation, Indian Railways’ largest employee union, has called for a protest rally across the country, on the day after Government introduces the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill.

It has urged its over 10 lakh members to go to the Prime Minister's Office website and lodge their protest.

On September 13, the union will also take a call on whether it will go on an indefinite strike on the issue.

The Railway Union has called for scrapping of the new pension scheme (NPS) for long.

“..NPS has taken away the rights of Central and State Government employees to have pension and family pension. AIRF is determined to scrap the new pension scheme and compel the Government to cover all Central and State Government employees under pension and family pension scheme,” AIRF has stated.

The Standing Committee meeting of AIRF calls upon all Central and State Government employees in general and Railwaymen in particular to register strong protest against the evil design of Government to introduce PFRDA Bill on the floor of Parliament,” AIRF has stated.

mamuni.das@thehindu.co.in