Latest on the Skybus!!!

[Rajaram Bojji]

Indian Express 24th August

 

Ministry halts Konkan Railway’s proposed Skybus

Raghvendra Rao

Posted online: Friday, August 24, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email

With project under a safety cloud, KRCL told not to spend Rs 25 cr allotted for research and development; details sought in viability

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23: Under a safety cloud ever since its trial run in 2004, Konkan Railway’s high-speed rail-based mass transit metro, Skybus, has finally fallen out of favour with the Railway Ministry.

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Railway Business India Financial Express

Having sanctioned Rs 25 crore for further research and development on the project in this year’s Rail Budget, the Railways have now asked Konkan Railways Corporation Ltd (KRCL) not to spend any money out of the allocation, putting a big question mark over the project’s future.

In a strongly worded communication to KRCL’s Managing Director, the Railway Board has sought detailed comments and clarifications on issues ranging from the project’s viability, its status after spending Rs 50 crore so far, and also its safety.

The Railways has asked the KRCL that even if the technology is tried and tested, would it be “commercially viable with respect to cost and its carrying capacity”? The ministry has asked the KRCL to bring out the “status of the project achieved after spending Rs 50 crore, with respect to original parameters laid down by them”.

Further, the Railways has pointed out that a similar system was not found operationally and financially viable in Germany and was not pursued further. “Having known the fate of such a system in an advanced country like Germany, is it worth spending money on a such project,” the ministry has asked. The ministry further points out, “Recommendation of the expert committee to treat it as a research work may not be useful to the Railways, and if the project has any real technological potential, why isn’t the Department of Science and Technology coming forward to fund the project?”

Seeking details on the remaining works (along with their costs) that need to be done to make the system commercially and operationally viable, the Railways has asked the KRCL to also submit the names of the state Governments which are eager to adopt this technology and whether they were wiling to participate in the project’s development. The ministry has also asked the KRCL if it is possible to carry forward this project without the association of former KRCL MD B Rajaram, the brain behind the project.

When contacted, KRCL’s Managing Director Anurag Mishra said, “Before receiving the Railway Board’s communication, our Board of Directors had already decided in June that instead of spending Railway money on research and development of this project, we will go in for global expression of interest, inviting private players to take up the project. In such an arrangement, we would make available our test track in Madgaon along with our domain knowledge and patents. We don’t want to invest because the end could be uncertain. Also, certain amount of expertise would be needed to put everything together.”

Mishra further said that it was difficult for the project to take off unless the necessary tests were carried out and all the safety certifications were acquired. Skybus technology is yet to get safety certification from either the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) or Railways’ Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

B. Rajaram M. Tech., FIE., FNAE

Indian Railway Service of Engineers (1970-2005) 

CE(Goa), Dir(Project) & MD  Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.,( 1990-2005)

Inventor & Mentor Anti-collision/Skybus Technologies

Director / Atri K E I Lab.(P) Ltd.,5-9-101/3, Public Garden Rd.,Hyderabad 500001 India 

Fax: + 91 40 23234964  Ph: +91 40 64545659 USA: +1 703 835 9025
FAX (USA) +1(425) 952-1732

www.atrilab.com 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rajaram Bojji]

well- what did you expect our government to serve our nation except and only when it involves procurement of high value items from abroad? 

 

Remember to watch Discovery Channel 8PM on Wednesday-- you will see what the outside world thinks of our Skybus!

Nandan Maluste //Kotak /Bank <nandan....@kotak.com> wrote:

so now?


_____ Original message _____
Subject:        Latest on the Skybus!!!
Author: bojj...@yahoo.com
Date:           24th August 2007 7:32:35

Indian Express 24th August
  
  Ministry halts Konkan Railway’s proposed Skybus
  Raghvendra Rao  Posted online: Friday, August 24, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print  Email  With project under a safety cloud, KRCL told not to spend Rs 25 cr allotted for research and development; details sought in viability
    NEW DELHI, AUGUST 23: Under a safety cloud ever since its trial run in 2004, Konkan Railway’s high-speed rail-based mass transit metro, Skybus, has finally fallen out of favour with the Railway Ministry.  
    Advertisment-->         

  
    Related Stories   Kerala CM meets Lalu amid stand-off on Salem rly divisionRlys seeks UNESCO heritage site status for Kalka RailRlys invites partners for loco factorySC seeks answers on unmanned crossingsMovies, masti: Shatabdi travel could be fun
  Rad Links              Railway Business India Financial Express

  Having sanctioned Rs 25 crore for further research and development on the project in this year’s Rail Budget, the Railways have now asked Konkan Railways Corporation Ltd (KRCL) not to spend any money out of the allocation, putting a big question mark over the project’s future.
  In a strongly worded communication to KRCL’s Managing Director, the Railway Board has sought detailed comments and clarifications on issues ranging from the project’s viability, its status after spending Rs 50 crore so far, and also its safety.   The Railways has asked the KRCL that even if the technology is tried and tested, would it be “commercially viable with respect to cost and its carrying capacity†? The ministry has asked the KRCL to bring out the “status of the project achieved after spending Rs 50 crore, with respect to original parameters laid down by them†.   Further, the Railways has pointed out that a similar system was not found operationally and financially viable in Germany and was not pursued further. “Having known the fate of such a system in an advanced country like Germany, is it worth spending money on a such project,†the ministry has asked. The ministry further points out, “Recommendation of the expert committee to treat it as a research work may
 not be useful to the Railways, and if the project has any real technological potential, why isn’t the Department of Science and Technology coming forward to fund the project?†   Seeking details on the remaining works (along with their costs) that need to be done to make the system commercially and operationally viable, the Railways has asked the KRCL to also submit the names of the state Governments which are eager to adopt this technology and whether they were wiling to participate in the project’s development. The ministry has also asked the KRCL if it is possible to carry forward this project without the association of former KRCL MD B Rajaram, the brain behind the project.   When contacted, KRCL’s Managing Director Anurag Mishra said, “Before receiving the Railway Board’s communication, our Board of Directors had already decided in June that instead of spending Railway money on research and development of this project, we will go in for global expression of interest,
 inviting private players to take up the project. In such an arrangement, we would make available our test track in Madgaon along with our domain knowledge and patents. We don’t want to invest because the end could be uncertain. Also, certain amount of expertise would be needed to put everything together.†   Mishra further said that it was difficult for the project to take off unless the necessary tests were carried out and all the safety certifications were acquired. Skybus technology is yet to get safety certification from either the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) or Railways’ Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

                            B. Rajaram M. Tech., FIE., FNAE
  Indian Railway Service of Engineers (1970-2005)
  CE(Goa), Dir(Project) & MD  Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.,( 1990-2005)
  Inventor & Mentor Anti-collision/Skybus Technologies
  Director / Atri K E I Lab.(P) Ltd.,5-9-101/3, Public Garden Rd.,Hyderabad 500001 India
  Fax: + 91 40 23234964  Ph: +91 40 64545659 USA: +1 703 835 9025
FAX (USA) +1(425) 952-1732
  www.atrilab.com
  
  
  
  
  

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