Indian Railways to invite bids for rail health monitoring systems

rail ministry wants Condition-Based Monitoring Systems on its fleet which will signal deterioration in key equipment in advance

More than eleven global firms have shown their willingness to participate in an Expression of Interest floated by the rail ministry to procure high-end technology and equipment for monitoring the health of Indian Railways' rolling stock infrastructure, the ministry informed today.

The rail ministry wants to deploy the Condition-Based Monitoring Systems on its fleet of 250,000 wagons, 50,000 coaches and 10,000 locomotives which will signal deterioration in key equipment - including wheels and axle boxes - in advance.

"The idea is to cut down cases of equipment failure that lead to accidents and bring down maintenance cost. The bids will be invited in November. This is in line with the budget announcement made by the ministry," Indian Railways' Member-Mechanical Hemant Kumar told a media gathering without sharing the financial details of the proposed tender.

He also said the ministry is planning to provide on-board house-keeping services in 1,125 trains by 2017 as against 571 trains currently; linen garbage disposal bags in trains and bio-toilets in all the trains by 2021 apart from pressing into use a dual mode locomotive capable of running on both diesel and electric traction.