IN FIRST INSTANCE, 60 INDIAN RAILWAY OFFICIALS IN JAPAN SHALL BE GIVEN FIRST HAND EXPOSURE AND TRAINING
The first meeting of Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) for India-Japan Project on ‘Capacity Development on Railway Safety’ was held at Northern Railway Headquarter, New Delhi today. The meeting was chaired by General Manager Northern Railway Shri T. P. Singh. Officials from Railway Board, Northern Railway, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation Limited & Commission of Railway Safety Organisations from Indian side attended the meeting. From Japanese side Officials from Government of Japan, Japanese Embassy, Japan Transport Safety Board and Japan International Cooperation Agency attended the meeting.
Indian Railways is having extensive cooperation with Japan in the field of Railways.At present Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Projects are under implementation. Annually 300 Railway Officers are being trained by Government of Japan on High Speed Rail. The projects on ‘Capacity Development on Railway Safety’ has been launched to share the best practices in area of Safety.
The preliminary discussions between Ministry of Railways, India and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan started in January, 2017 and a Memorandum of Cooperation on Railway Safety was signed between two countries in February, 2017.This Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at cooperation in Rail Safety particularly in Welding,Rail- Inspection,Track Circuit etc and latest technology related to inspection technology of track and rolling stock maintenance.
Under the cooperation program, Northern Railway shall be counterpart Railway. .A Japanese study team shall work with Northern Railway Officials over a period of two years.The project also envisages first hand exposure and training of 60 Indian Railway Officials in Japan in the identified area.
JCC is the highest coordinating body of the project comprising representatives of both Japan and India Government and Railways. During the meeting, detailed presentations were made by Japanese side on the activities to be taken up, there directions and measurable outcomes.The first JCC meeting formally launched the project which is an important step forward in improving safety systems and practices on Indian Railways.