Interview with Sanjiv Bhutani

Interview

1. How were you personally involved with railway research in your organisation?

I joined Indian Railway Services for Electrical Engineers in the year 1986 and served the organisation for about 37 years. I started my career from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, which used to manufacture conventional electric locomotives upto 5000 hp at that time. I was instrumental in setting up manufacturing facilities for 630 kW Hitachi traction motor at CLW, which became the main stay for conventional electric locomotives on Indian Railways. Thereafter, I served in various capacities on Zonal Railways and was responsible for improving the reliability of electrical assets viz Electric locomotives, Traction & Power supply. I contributed significantly to conserve energy in train operation and to achieve mission 100% electric traction on Indian Railways, for which I was honoured with National Energy Conservation awards in the year 2019 & 2020. During my last posting, I served as head of Research & Design wing of IR i.e Director General, RDSO. Design & development of indigenous semi high speed trainset viz Vande Bharat, Signalling & train control system viz KAVACH, 1200 hp Hydrogen fuel cell train are some of the key projects delivered by RDSO under my guidance and leadership.

2. What was your personal involvement in Research and Development activities in your Region?

While serving on Indian Railways, my involvement in Research & Development activities was mainly confined to India. However, I was fortunate to serve as Chair of International Railway Research Board (IRRB) since Jan.’23, which gave me an opportunity to interact with Vice Chairs of IRRB, UIC and its Members from various continents. The mutual sharing of experience has been very enriching and helped in understanding the issues being faced in different regions, their Research & Development priorities, Research & Innovations being pursued in different regions. A need was felt to develop Regional competence hub (RCH) for each region with UIC at the core to support, where Railway operators can share their Research & Development priorities and Research institutes/scholars can pursue Research in such areas for the benefit of Railway industry. UIC has entrusted the task to set up 6 RCHs – one at each of 6 continents to IRRB. Concerted efforts were made during my tenure as Chair, IRRB to set up these RCHs in various continents, which shall become the pillars of knowledge centre to promote rail transport in various regions.

3. What kind of research activities are the priority for research and innovation activities in the future in your region?

The priority for research & innovation in Railway sector on Indian continent are as under:

i) Environment protection : Government of India is committed to protect environment, for which following measures have been taken to reduce carbon emission – - Ministry of Railways has set target to achieve Net Zero carbon emission by the year 2030 & is likely to achieve it by the end of this year itself i.e 5 years in advance. By the end of December, Indian Railways will achieve 'Scope 1 net zero', successfully offsetting 2.2 million tonne CO2, which exceeds its emissions by 200,000 tonnes. - Electric traction being the most energy efficient mode of transport, Indian Railway has taken a giant stride by completing electrification of all the major routes, which shall substantially reduce emission of harmful green house gasses in train operation. - Indian Railway is actively pursuing Research & development to harness renewable energy resources such as Hydrogen fuel cell technology, solar cells, high power batteries, nuclear energy for train operation.

ii) Enhance safety in train operation : - Development of high tensile Rail (R350) for track to cater to the requirements of running Heavy Axle load (25 t) freight trains at 100 kmph along with high speed passenger trains at 160 kmph. - Development of pre-warning system for rail fracture, boulder falling/slope failures in ghat section - AI & IoT based applications for improving Assets Reliability & Availability with aim to shift from schedule maintenance to preventive maintenance - Development of Remote Driver Alert System to reduce accidents due to human error

iii) Development of technology for High speed trains : - Development of indigenous technology for High speed train’s Rolling stock - Development of indigenous technology for High speed train’s Signalling & train control system - Development of indigenous technology for 2x25 kVac traction for High speed trains

4. What was your role in IRRB?

I served as Chair of IRRB for about 2 year & 6 months since Jan.’23. My main role was to guide and promote global railway research and innovation by fosteringcollaboration among members, academic institutions and research organisations. The key responsibilities included providing leadership and strategic direction to IRRB, setting priorities for research & development in railway sector, promoting synergies and bridging knowledge gaps across regions, foster exchange of skills, knowledge & best practices among UIC members, promoting the globalization of UIC leaflets etc. In short, Chairman’s role is critical in driving UIC mission to promote rail transport globally by fostering innovation and addressing challenges in mobility & sustainable development.

5. What have been the highlights of your involvement with IRRB?

During my tenure as Chair of IRRB, the board worked as a team, with full zeal & enthusiasm to fulfil its mission to improve co ordination in rail research among UIC regions, promote global collaboration and provide common platform for Research & Innovations in rail industry for the benefit of all the stake holders. Concerted efforts were made to fill the vacant positions of vice chairs with healthy mix of experts from Railway industry and Technical universities. Today, we have Vice chairs from almost all the continents, who bring on board the development and issues being faced in respective regions and the regional priorities. IRRB in collaboration with CARS organised First International Railway Innovation Forum - 2023 in Beijing on 14 Nov.’23. During this event, 2 rounds of expert discussions were held on Research Priorities for future Railway and Cooperation to deliver innovations on the Railways. It was attended by more than 250 participants from various countries.

To promote transversal cooperation in Railway Research & Innovation, it has been decided to set up 6 Regional Competence Hubs. Each hub will focus on regional needs, to create know-how and provide innovative solutions. IRRB will disseminate all regional best practices and excellence in research and innovations worldwide.

A Global Railway Technology Platform was launched wherein leading Railway Technologies are updated regularly. This site has become quite popular among various stake holders, with 1.6 million visitors hitting the site since its inception. In addition, quarterly edition of International Newsletter is released regularly since Nov.23.

6. What is your opinion on the priorities for IRRB activities in the next term (2026– 2028)?

• Promote Innovation-Driven Development by fostering collaboration among UIC members, research institutions, and academic entities.
• Focus on advancing global rail research & innovation in following areas :
  • Sustainable rail transport, which involves research into energy-efficient technologies, reducing carbon emissions.
  • Digital technologies, including AI, digital twins, IoT & blockchain for capacity
  • management, safety, and disruption recovery.
  • Signaling & train control system and cyber security
  • Safety improvement, such as at level crossing gates and rolling contact fatigue
• Restructuring of IRRB to include members from UIC to revitalise and make it more effective as decided during the SC meeting held in Dec.’24. Vice Chairs shall co-opt UIC members to support them in organising various activities of IRRB.
• Setting up of RCHs for the remaining regions through RCH Core Group Task force, focusing on regional research needs.
• Chair & Vice chairs shall organise atleast one event in their region to promote global co-operation in Research & Innovation in Railway sector
• Support for World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) : IRRB shall continue to play a key role in organizing the WCRR, with the 2025 edition in Colorado focusing on “Inspiring innovative and resilient railways.” This platform will shape research priorities by fostering global collaboration and showcasing cutting-edge innovations.
• Innovation Awards and Talent Development : Promote creativity through biennial innovation awards, encouraging researchers and engineers to address rail challenges.

7. How do you think that IRRB can be more inclusive in relation to increasing membership and representing the Regions?

All the UIC members are automatically the members of IRRB and as such, there is no hindrance in increasing the membership. We have already sent invite to the members, which need to be pursued and followed up. Today, we have Vice chairs from almost all the continents, who bring on board their vast experience and indepth knowledge about the issues being faced in respective regions and the regional priorities. Nevertheless, to enhance inclusivity and increase membership further, IRRB can adopt following strategies :

• Broaden Outreach to Underrepresented Regions such as Africa, South America and the Middle East through Vice chairs from these regions and collaborating with train operators, research institutes to set up RCH in their region to address region’s specific challenges.
• Encourage smaller railway organizations, academic institutions, or research bodies from developing regions to attend online the IRRB activities such as webinars or Plenary/SC meetings etc.
• Ensure that IRRB Steering committee and core groups, such as RCH, include representatives from all six UIC regions (Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and Middle East).
• Leverage UIC’s Global Network and request UIC to allocate fund to pursue IRRB initiatives to support research projects or training programs for membersfrom developing regions.

8. What do you think new members can gain from being a member of IRRB?

New members of IRRB can gain significantly from participation in its activities, the key benefits include –

• Access to Global Expertise and Knowledge Sharing : Members gain access to a network of leading railway operators, research institutions, and experts across the six UIC regions (Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and Middle East). This facilitates knowledge exchange on cutting- edge rail technologies, best practices, and innovative solutions.
• Participation in IRRB’s Regional Competence Hubs (RCHs) allows members to collaborate on research tailored to regional challenges.
• Influence on Global Rail Research Priorities : New members can contribute to shaping the IRRB’s Global Research & Innovation Agenda, ensuring that research aligns with their specific needs, such as improving urban mobility or addressing climate resilience.
• Involvement in working groups and taskforces provides a platform to influence international standards and policies, enhancing members’ visibility and impact in the global rail sector.
• Networking and Collaboration Opportunities : IRRB Members get opportunities to connect with global stakeholders at UIC events, such as the World Congress on Rail Research or regional workshops, fostering partnerships with leading organizations.
• Collaborative projects through the IRRB can lead to joint research initiatives, technology transfers or funding opportunities.
• Smaller or emerging rail organizations can benchmark against global leaders, enhancing their competitiveness in the industry.
• Members get a platform to showcase their achievements and challenges on a global stage, increasing their visibility through UIC publications, events, or digital platforms.
• The IRRB’s alignment with global priorities, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, allows members to position themselves as leaders in sustainable and inclusive rail development.

9. Please feel free to advise how the IRRB should look like in the next decade – specifically any “dedicated thematic teams” should we create, such as Knowledge hub; Advisory Board; R&I Networking group; R&I Project group, Think-tank, other?

IRRB plays a pivotal role in advancing global rail research and innovation. To remain relevant and impactful over the next decade, IRRB must evolve to address emerging challenges, leverage technological advancements, and foster collaboration across the global rail sector. I recommend to create dedicated thematic teams for Knowledge hub and Think-tank to enhance IRRB’s effectiveness.

Thematic Team 1: Knowledge Hub – It should serve as a centralized platform for collecting, curating, and disseminating rail Research & Innovation knowledge globally. Its main objective would be to aggregate best practices, research findings and case studies from UIC members, academia, and industry. Provide open-access resources to support rail operators, researchers and policymakers. Facilitate cross- regional knowledge transfer to address common challenges such as decarbonization, automation etc. AI-driven tools may be used to organize and retrieve information efficiently.

Thematic Team 2: Think-Tank – The main aim of this group would be to assist IRRB in exploring emerging disruptive technologies e.g hyperloop, maglev, autonomous trains, robotics, blockchain, AI & IoT technologies and their integration into rail systems. Anticipate future challenges and opportunities, develop visionary solutions for the rail sector to make it competitive. It can have members from rail operators, interdisciplinary researchers. Young researchers and professionals may be given priority to bring fresh perspective. Efforts shall be made to position IRRB as a leader and a forward-thinking body toshape the future of rail transport by anticipating trends a decade ahead.