CIL, CRIS sign MoU for coal freight data sharing

• The first-of-its-kind data sharing offers CIL a bouquet of benefits which will help it in rationalising the entire coal supply matrix via rail mode

• The pact assumes greater significance at a time when CIL is pushing for increased rail evacuation, said a senior executive of Coal India

New Delhi: For faster and customised automated access to data through Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) of Indian Railways, which would help Coal India Limited (CIL) monitor movement of coal laden rakes and coal despatch activity, the Maharatna PSU has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) on Monday. CRIS is a wing of the Ministry of Railways. The first-of-its-kind data sharing offers CIL a bouquet of benefits which will help it in rationalising the entire coal supply matrix via rail mode. It provides precise details of loading, weighment and unloading details along with turnaround time of rakes.  
The MoU is basically a collaboration on freight operation information between the networks of CIL and CRIS regarding CIL's rail movement of coal. It also includes other logistics details. 

How will info provided by CRIS help CIL?

The information helps minimise the instances of under loading and overloading of rakes and untangles the knots benefitting CIL, Railways and the consumers, Coal India said in an official statement. Importantly, the resultant relevant information eases the way for faster billing and bill monitoring process replacing the manual entry of railway receipts with instantaneous online transfer.

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Another high point is that the data sets shared by CRIS provides CIL information on sanctioned coal and rake programmes, rake demand, rake detention and diversion details which helps the coal companies plan their supplies. CIL has also developed a portal which helps in sharing the FOIS data with its subsidiary coal companies.

CIL's coal movement through rail mode set to rise further

"The pact assumes greater significance at a time when CIL is pushing for increased rail evacuation and gradually reduce the road movement of the dry fuel. The real time data helps us in better planning," said a senior executive of Coal India.

CIL's coal movement through rail mode from its own sidings, goods sheds and private washeries stood at 302.51 Million Tonnes (MTs) on February 20 and accounted for 61 percent of the total off-take quantity. When dovetailed with merry-go-round system, at 92.8 MTs, which is a dedicated rail mode transport, the percentage expands even higher to 79 percent. "We intend to raise it further," said the executive.  

CIL and CRIS will collaborate for further improvement in data sharing with periodical reviews. The contract period of the MoU is one year with annual technical support.

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