Delhi: Speaking at All India Track Maintainers' Conference, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "The modernisation of railway tracks is very important, and we must pursue this objective with our utmost vigour. Approximately 36,000 kilometers of new tracks have been laid over the past decade. Currently, approximately 1,800 track machines are available within the railway network to facilitate the improved maintenance of these tracks; our objective is to increase this number to around 3,000. Once this figure reaches the vicinity of 3,000, long-standing issues related to track inspection and maintenance will be resolved to a significant extent. We are also introducing a new model for track maintenance: the Rail-cum-Road Vehicle. Under this system, personnel will be able to load all their tools and equipment directly into the vehicle, drive straight onto the tracks, and conduct physical inspections while seated comfortably. A pilot project for this initiative is currently being launched in the Bhavnagar Division. Two Rail-cum-Road Vehicles are being deployed following extensive testing. This new system will completely transform the traditional and arduous work methodologies currently in place. Operations can now be executed in a manner that is safer, more comfortable, and technologically advanced."
"Furthermore, drone technology and new types of gauges are being made available to aid in track inspection. These new gauges will facilitate precise measurements of turnouts and point-crossings; consequently, tasks that were previously performed based on estimation can now be executed with absolute precision.
"Today, modern track systems are being implemented across the country, such as 60 kg rails, rails with 90 UTS strength, and 207-meter-long rail panels. Friction-free switches are being installed in turnouts, and the utilisation of Weldable CMS (WCMS) is being expanded. Our goal is to universalise the implementation of all these modern systems across the entire nation in the coming years."
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