Its extensive experience in the planning of high-speed lines, gained over the course of many years of constructing the Spanish network, led Adif, an Ineco shareholder, and the Indian state-owned enterprise High Speed Rail Corporation of India Ltd (HSRC) to sign a collaboration agreement in 2016. Adif and Indian Railways (IR), the parent company of HSRC, began collaborating in 2012 after the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding between Adif, Renfe and IR, establishing a framework for collaboration between the three companies in areas of technological development. This process of cooperation has led to recognition of Adif and other companies in the Spanish rail sector by one of the world’s major markets: India. The country has 64,460 kilometres of railway lines, on which more than 18,000 trains and 20 million people travel on a daily basis, an enormous and complex network that the government proposes to renew by modernising its infrastructure and improving travel times and safety.

In April 2015, India’s Ministry of Railways asked the Spanish Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness to carry out a feasibility study for a high-speed line between Mumbai and Nagpur, the first phase of the Mumbai-Kolkata corridor. The study was entrusted to Ineco and Adif, with up to 80 people involved over a period of 24 months, and with the goal of providing HSRC with sufficiently detailed technical, economic and environmental data and criteria to enable it to make decisions with respect to the development of high speed in the country.

The section between Mumbai and Nagpur, running through Maharashtra (India’s second most populous state with more than 100 million inhabitants), will complete one of the routes of the so-called ‘Diamond Quadrilateral’, a project to connect India’s four great metropolises –Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi– through a network of 11,000 kilometres of high-performance railway lines.

The project carried out by Ineco and Adif included the initial step of analysing 10 alternative routes at a scale of 1:50,000 and preparing a study of the demand and of the existing transport network to enable selection of the best three routes to be studied in greater detail. These three alternative routes were then defined and analysed, including estimates of operating speed and travel times for each one. The result of this analysis, presented to and validated by HSRC, was the selection of ‘Alternative 2’ as the optimum HSR route to be developed in the feasibility study to be executed through the cities of Mumbai BKC, Thane, Nasik, Aurangabad, Akola, Badnera/Amravati and Nagpur. Lastly, the study and technical definition of this alternative was carried out with the participation of experts in the design of high speed projects, construction, station building, signalling and communications, and specialists in track integration and deployment of gauge-changeover facilities.

In summary, the study included demand studies; prior analysis of the different routing alternatives; an operational plan with calculation of travel times and traffic grids for different scenarios; a rolling stock proposal; analysis and selection of railway technology to be implemented (gauge, track superstructure, electrification, safety and communications facilities, etc.); necessary special works; redevelopment and relocation of the population from affected areas; environmental analysis; rail operation and maintenance; cost estimates; and, finally, an economic/financial analysis that will be used to determine the viability of the new high-speed line, as well as a financing proposal for the project.

To carry out the study of medium and long-term traffic demand, the mobility needs and socio-economic characteristics of the populations along the entire corridor were analysed in conjunction with local development plans and United Nations population growth projections. In addition, a temporary demand scenario was developed for several years ahead, determined by the development of the infrastructure in phases: 2025 (Thane-Nasik), 2030 (Thane-Nasik-Aurangabad), 2035 (Thane-Nasik-Aurangabad-Akola-Badnera/Amravati-Nagpur) and finally 2050 with arrival in Kolkata.

Technical definition of the corridor

The section consists of double-track line exclusively for passenger traffic and five new stations (Nasik, Aurangabad, Akola, Amravati/Badnera and Nagpur), with connection at the Thane station of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai project being developed by Indian Railways. The infrastructure is designed in accordance with European standards including tunnels, viaducts and special infrastructures. The entire track runs on ballast except in stations and tunnels longer than 1.5 kilometres, where slab track is used. Functionally, the line is standard-gauge double track designed with sidings every 40-60 kilometres and intermediate crossovers every 20-30 kilometres, which provides maximum operating flexibility.

Cuts more than 30 metres high will require the construction of tunnels, eight in total, one of which will be a twin-tube tunnel 7 kilometres long excavated with a tunnel boring machine. Embankments of more than 15 metres will require special works such as bridges or viaducts and it is anticipated that a total of 526 structures will need to be constructed to negotiate obstacles such as rivers, railway lines and roads.

As for the five proposed stations, four standard models have been designed to optimise the size of the buildings and tailor them to actual passenger volumes. Maintenance workbases have been located every 150 kilometres and as much as possible close to towns and cities to facilitate the movement of personnel; the main rolling stock depot will be in Nasik, with a second auxiliary depot located on the outskirts of Thane (Mumbai). The project includes a preliminary proposal for the installation of 12 traction substations (every 60-70 km) and the necessary connections to the existing power supply network.

The feasibility study includes an economic/financial analysis that reflects the project’s operational feasibility, cost effectiveness and balance. It also takes into account suitable management and governance frameworks for the implementation of HSR in India, financial assessment and risk analysis.

India’s NCRTC, which is responsible for the development of fast rail transport systems in the Delhi region, has awarded the consortium formed by Ineco, Egis and Egis India the contract for the studies to develop a commuter rail corridor between Delhi and Meerut. Ineco will provide consulting services to define the design parameters for the construction project of this 90-kilometre regional fast network which is expected to reach a speed of 180 km/h. Most of the route will run through tunnels and on elevated surface track.

Completion of the studies for the HS Delhi-Kolkata

Ineco, Typsa and ICT –the three partners of the consortium– have presented the final report, of the feasibility study of the high-speed line between the cities of New Delhi and Kolkata, to the authorities of the state-owned enterprise High Speed Rail Corporation of India (HSRC). In the photo, Ineco engineers Félix Zapata and Javier Sancho at the station in New Delhi.

Ineco has been operating in India since 2009 with works for the Bombay metro and studies for the HS between Haldia and Howrah, among others.

Ineco welcomed a delegation of experts from the High Speed Rail Corporation of India Limited (HSRC) at the headquarters in Madrid. In the image, the president of Ineco, Jesús Silva, next to batch officer Vijay Anand, director general of Rail Vikas Projects and member of the HSRC Management Board.

The delegation visited Spain’s high-speed lines (AVE) in Madrid, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Seville and Malaga. Ineco is carrying out the new high-speed corridor project in India between Delhi and Kolkata together with the Indian consultancy ICT.

What do you think Spanish technology and experience can bring to our corridor?

I am sure that, under the leadership of Ineco, a Spanish public company with extensive experience in different HSR systems, the consortium will do a fantastic job. I wish them every success in their endeavors. Furthermore, during our visit to Spain in September 2014, we noted that several different systems and technologies had been used to develop the Spanish High-Speed Rail system network, which is the second largest in the world. This knowledge will allow Ineco to provide us with comparative analyses and conclusive technical recommendations.

What was your impression from the visit?

I believe that it was a great success. Our technical experts could see various technologies at work, used to create HSR infrastructures and operate HSR trains. The most interesting things were the gauge changing train, the different traction systems and the signalling and train control systems. The delegation was also impressed by the high-maintenance quality of the tracks and rolling stock.

Coming back to the project, what is the current service level of the existing line between Delhi and Kolkata?

The passenger trains between Delhi and Kolkata currently run at 120-130 km/h. There are various classes on offer to passengers, including First Class Air Conditioned, Two-tier Air Conditioned Sleeper, Three-tier Air Conditioned and the Three-tier Non-Air Conditioned Sleeper, as well as a general, non-reservable class. There are about 17 trains each way every day, which carry around 900-1,400 passengers each.

What kind of comfort levels and technical standards is HSRC currently considering for the new high-speed rail lines?

HSRC is a project development agency whose technical standards are determined by the Ministry of Railways. As part of Indian Railways, there is a specific organisation called Research, Design & Standards Organization (RDSO) which is helping to improve technical standards. Nonetheless, this contract includes a comparative study of the different technologies available on the international market. The most important areas include civil engineering structures, rail tracks, traction systems, the power supply system, the control system, signalling, telecommunications, rolling stock and automatic fare
collection technology. The railway tariffs in India are highly subsidized.

Our technicians were impressed by the high quality of maintenance of the Spanish network

In your opinion, what are the challenges involved in introducing high-speed rail lines with speeds up to 250km/h?

Constructing a new high-speed rail line will bring many challenges. For HSRC, the most complex task will be securing funds, acquiring land and completing the project on time. In any case, the study’s conclusions and recommendations will have a big impact on this question’s answer.

The number of passengers in India will continue to grow –will the Diamond Quadrilateral project address this growth? Or at the very least, will the project reduce traffic congestion?

The HSR lines will really boost the existing network’s passenger capacity, as the operation will be a lot faster, with more passenger trains that will probably be more frequent. This will allow for a reduction in traffic congestion, not only on the railway network but also on the roads.

What kind of economic growth do you expect this new line to generate?

Historically, Kolkata has been a very important port city for eastern India. Nowadays it is the capital of the state of West Bengal. It was the capital of India for a short while, before the country gained independence. Linking Delhi to Kolkata via HSR will give an extra economic boost to an already economically important region.

Spanish engineering and its 3,000 kilometres of AVE has made an impression on the country with one of the most extensive rail networks in the world. A team of engineers and experts from Ineco, Typsa an ICT have been working since 2015 on examining down to the last detail the feasibility study for the future high-speed line that will connect the capital New Delhi with Kolkata.

After years of postponed initiatives, the current government –the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)– led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given a definitive push to implement the high-speed line between its four main cities: New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. These four metropolises together have a population of 55 million people in a country with 1,276 billion inhabitants (one sixth of the world’s population). New Delhi has a metropolitan area of around 17 million inhabitants, Mumbai, 18, Kolkata, 14, and Chennai, formerly Madras, around 6 million.

The current government has given a definitive push to implement high speed in the country

Modi has made the industrial development of the country the central focus of his mandate, represented by the ‘Make in India’ campaign, which aims to promote internal production and reduce dependence on foreign countries. To stimulate his economy, the construction of infrastructure, particularly railways and roads, are crucial. Since his arrival to the government in summer 2014, the Prime Minister has implemented the Diamond Quadrilateral Program, a diamond with four corners, which includes the cities of New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, separated by more than 1,000 kilometres and connected by modern rail infrastructure: the seed of India’s future high-speed network. The project of this corridor covers 14 states and will serve as an economic driver as well as contributing to rejuvenate the country’s very old rail network, in which every day 18,000 trains operate, around 23 million passengers travel and around 2.6 million tonnes of goods are transported.

Although trains are the mode of transport most used in India –the country is literally knit together with a network of 64,460 kilometres– modernisation of its infrastructure and improved travel times and safety are issues that need to be resolved, which new investments aim to remedy.

Ineco was helped in the awarding of this tender by the support and commercial coordination of the Spain Business Overseas office in India. From New Delhi, its delegate Pedro Sinués has remarked that “the ability and technical experience of Spanish companies has allowed them to achieve the Diamond Quadrilateral tender, which has placed India on the international high-speed map”. “Proof of it –added Sinués– is that the consortium led by Ineco competed against 11 other international consortiums. As such, it becomes more important that two Ineco-led Spanish companies can apply their knowledge acquired in Spain to such an emblematic corridor (connecting what was the capital of India until 1911 with the current capital) and it is important in the socioeconomic structuring of the country”.

The amount awarded is over two million euros and the execution period is one year

The study, commissioned by the state company High Speed Rail Corporation of India Ltd. (HSRC), includes demand studies; prior analysis of route alternatives; calculation of journey times; selection of rail technology to implement (track gauge, track superstructure, electrification, communications and safety installations, etc.); necessary special works; regeneration and resettlement of affected populated areas; environmental analysis; rolling stock and operation and maintenance. Lastly, an economic-financial analysis will be carried out that will be used to determine the feasibility of the new line as well as the most adequate method of funding. The amount awarded is over two million euros and the execution period is one year.

The length of the corridor is around 1,500 kilometres and it passes through cities of great commercial, social and touristic interest, such as New Delhi, Agra (the city of the well-known Taj Mahal), Aligarh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Mughal, Varanasi, Sarai, Patna, Gaya, Dhanbad, Asansol, Durgapur and Kolkata. The line runs through quite a flat area, near the river Ganges, and crosses various rivers and streams, which will require the design of viaducts.

For Félix Zapata, technical director of the project and Ineco engineer, “the work basically consists of analysing the feasibility of its construction, bearing in mind its financial cost and the social advantages that it will bring. Furthermore, we will offer the most appropriate financial model for its implementation”. “The works –adds Zapata– are aimed at achieving speeds and levels of comfort and safety within the modern high-speed standards. For this purpose, we will propose the most appropriate rail technology: type of track (ballast, slab track), electrification, communications and safety installations, rolling stock, specifications for the operation and maintenance of the new high-speed line, etc.”

The extensive Indian rail network has great potential and its own industry, but also many challenges: only 33% of its network is electrified, there are few fibre optic networks, they lack enclosure, stations do not have ticket purchasing systems or safety controls, etc. The project includes adaptation of the current stations to high speed or, failing that, the proposal of the location and preliminary design of new stations. As such, the construction of rail infrastructure with the characteristics mentioned previously will be a very important advancement in the Indian rail network.

In 2014, Ineco conducted a feasibility study on the high-speed rail connection between Haldia and Howrah for Indian Railways, a study carried out with the Spanish companies Ayesa and Prointec, which is part of the projects planned in the Diamond Quadrilateral. Furthermore, in 2009, Ineco provided technical assistance for the works of the Mumbai metro.

In our first issue of 2016 we have made way for news articles and reports regarding major projects that are key to the future of Ineco and other companies from Spain. Both the study for the construction of a high-speed railway between New Delhi and Kolkata as well as the waste management contracts in Panama and Ecuador exemplify the headway made in overseas markets as a result of the years of training, work and rigour that Spanish engineering has brought to fruition in various infrastructure-related fields.

The value of these studies lies not only in their irrefutable technical and financial magnitude, but also –and almost more importantly– in the role they play in the socio-economic development of the countries where they are carried out in addition to the unique, exclusive experience that, having been designed for and applied to the Spanish market, is proving to yield excellent results in countries all around the world.

Although it was only a short time ago that we were strategizing how to export the technological capacity of the Spanish High-Speed Rail (AVE), we can now talk about some real-life examples. We are not only working in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Turkey, but over the last few months, Ineco has also begun to carry out studies for the implementation of this sophisticated rail technology in both Egypt and India. We are backed by more than 30 years of experience –the first high-speed railway in Spain was inaugurated in 1992– a rail network spanning 3,100 kilometres and a series of challenges that we have successfully overcome. The work that we are carrying out in India is featured both on our front page and in an article including an interview with the managing director of the HSRC, the body responsible for the development and implementation of high-speed rail projects in this Asian country.

We are not only working in Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Turkey, but over the last few months Ineco has also begun to carry out studies for the implementation of this sophisticated rail technology in both Egypt and India

Tourism and air transport are also activities that carry an important weight in Spain. This is apparent in the record seen by the tourism industry with a total of 68 million visitors in 2015, wherein eight out of ten tourists arrived to Spain via one of the 46 Spanish airports. We are grateful for the participation and opinions of the secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in an article covering this topic. The aviation section of this issue also features another article which addresses the technical challenges faced in the design of control towers. Finally, I should like to mention the pages that we have dedicated to the colossal engineering project that spanned the 155 kilometres of the Atlantic Axis, crossing over rugged Galician terrain: 37 tunnels and 32 viaducts highlight the enormity of this project that has now become a reality.

With these and other articles, as well as an updated design, I am certain that we are conveying the high quality standard of Spanish engineering to our clients and readers without neglecting, of course, to inform and entertain.