Discussion held on emerging opportunities in rail transport

Lucknow: On the second and final day of the two-day conference of Principal Chief Operations Managers (PCOMs) of zonal railways held at the Indian Rail Transport Management Institute (IRITM), Lucknow, on Tuesday, detailed discussions were held on freight operations, digital tools, operational coordination and emerging opportunities in rail transportation.

Rakesh Kumar Roshan gave a presentation

The proceedings began with the inauguration of the Road Tariff Dashboard and Freight Map Visualization Dashboard. According to Professor (Administration) Krishna Tiwari, Dr. Manoj Singh, Member (Operations and Business Development), Railway Board, inaugurated these dashboards. Rakesh Kumar Roshan, Executive Director (Business Development), Railway Board, gave a presentation. This initiative is an important step towards the use of digital tools for analysis, tariff determination and visualization related to freight transportation. This will assist in data-driven decision-making and enhance the efficiency of freight operations.

PCOMs also highlighted best practices

This was followed by presentations by the Principal Chief Operations Managers (PCOMs) of various zonal railways, highlighting key operational initiatives, emerging trends and best practices being adopted in the field of rail transportation. Presentations by representatives of major railway public sector undertakings, including DFCCIL, CONCOR and CRIS, also enriched the discussions. These presentations brought out important aspects related to freight transportation infrastructure, logistics, digital solutions and technology-enabled services.

A useful platform for everyone

The session provided a useful platform for knowledge exchange, sharing best practices and discussing strategies to enhance the efficiency, competitiveness and customer-centricity of rail freight transportation operations. This was followed by a detailed interaction session with senior traffic officers of the Railway Board. The session provided an opportunity for detailed discussion and exchange of views on various operational and traffic transportation-related issues.

PEDTT(M) of Railway Board presented remarks at the conclusion

Thereafter, as part of the formal programme, Rahul Agrawal, PEDTT(M), Railway Board, presented concluding remarks. The conference concluded with an Open Forum, which provided participating officers with a platform to deliberate on matters of common interest and present their views and suggestions. Senior officers from zonal railways and various railway organizations participated in the two-day conference held at IRITM.

Consideration of the potential of technology-enabled solutions

The conference provided a meaningful and constructive platform for sharing best practices, assessing contemporary operational challenges and considering the potential of technology-enabled solutions to strengthen rail transportation and freight operations. During the conference, senior officers of the Railway Board, public sector undertakings and zonal railways, along with faculty members of IRITM, were also present.