Interview Insights:
Rail Analysis: After assuming the position of the new Director General of RDSO, how do you plan to broaden the goal of advancing Railways & infrastructure?
Shri Uday Borwanker: We are planning to enhance railway infrastructure by fostering innovation through collaborative research, leveraging emerging technologies, and streamlining processes for faster project execution. Strengthening partnerships with stakeholders and prioritizing sustainability will also be keys to achieving a modern, efficient railway system. Also, fruitful association of premier academic institutions in cutting edge technology will be explored in making new paradigm.
Rail Analysis: Please tell us the role RDSO is playing today in the growing railway and metro projects of India and promoting Make in India program?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO is the sole R&D organization of the Indian Railways and also serves as technical advisor to Zonal Railways, Production Units and Public Sector Undertakings. RDSO is also engaged in projects related to design, standardisation, safety reliability and maintainability of rolling stocks. On the traction side, RDSO handles simulation and roll out of drivers’ traction technologies and their control aspects. Currently, RDSO is associated in testing and providing design review, technology and safety certification for Metros through on online portal. Our current focus is on Metro projects and is largely on project execution and stabilization. In this process, a large number of International technologies have been introduced in the country. However, the Metro organisations are not yet equipped for simulation of these technologies.
RDSO’s role extends beyond the design review and also includes the following 4 steps:
- Certification and testing
- Simulation, adaptation of technology
- Standardization
- Possible export of technology to other similarly placed countries post indigenisation.
Image credit: RDSO
Rail Analysis: How can a new vendor or supplier register with RDSO for supplying their products to the Railway sector?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO has developed a user-friendly online Unified Vendor Approval Module (U-VAM). It is a part of digitization initiatives of Indian Railways through which all the activities related to approval of vendors has been digitized.
All the drawings, specifications, and schedule of technical requirements can be viewed and downloaded by the applicant. Vendor registration process has been made faceless by UVAM. Now vendor or supplier can register with RDSO while sitting in their premises.
Rail Analysis: For existing suppliers, how can they understand the future requirements of the products for which RDSO or Railways are looking for Indian suppliers?
Shri Uday Borwanker: To understand the future requirements of products that the RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organization) or Railways are seeking from Indian suppliers, existing suppliers can participate during Engagement in industry forums, networking with stakeholders, monitoring government initiatives, participating in tenders, reviewing technical specifications, and through feedback from current projects. The InnoRail is good platform for suppliers seeking requirement of railways and suitability of their products.
Rail Analysis: What steps is RDSO is taking to engage more vendors in the production of components for the railway systems which have less than 3 suppliers?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO has reduced the Registration fee and eliminated sample testing charges to enhance “Ease of Doing Business” and encourage Vendor Development.
“Average time of Registration has been reduced from 12 months to 3 months only.”
Process is being reviewed regularly to identify & remove bottlenecks, streamline with best practices prevalent worldwide, to promote efficiency, transparency & fairness.
Rail Analysis: The Railway Minister announced the ‘Hydrogen for Heritage’ initiative. Could you tell us more about this and RDSO’s contributions? Additionally, can you provide details about the performance tests conducted by RDSO on ‘Fuel Cell and Battery’ technology for India’s first hydrogen trains?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO has issued specification for first hydrogen train to be run between Sonipat- Jind section in Northern Railways. Hydrogen is very nascent technology for India in general and Indian Railways in particular.
RDSO being the research wing of IR, is carrying out approval of all design documents, testing of subassemblies being used in this train. Further, safety being a big challenge in the hydrogen ecosystem, various measures have been adopted to ensure on board and on ground safety. This is the biggest project of the world converting 2.4 MW train into hydrogen based train.
The most critical components of this train are Fuel cell and Traction Batteries which have been tested successfully in Aug-24. Shell of Driving Motor Coach is also ready and installation and furnishing of this coach has started in ICF Chennai
Rail Analysis: Would you like to share any new research and development that RDSO is working on for Railway projects?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO is presently working on the projects of national eminence of green energy of development of hydrogen fuel cell based train, development of automatic signalling tool, development of 9000 HP electric locomotive, test track for induction of new rolling stock, hyperloop, Kavach, smart wagons etc.
Image credit: MoR
Rail Analysis: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Shri Uday Borwanker: RDSO is working on new technology for making travel of IR safe and comfortable. Hydrogen train, hyperloop, bullet train, smart wagon, Kavach etc are no more distant dreams but upcoming reality of IR.
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