CE’S CIRCULAR NO. 219

Sub: Taking over of new assets from the Construction Organisation.

While examining the records in the CE’s Drawing Office, it has come to light that a good number of completion drawings of the new assets taken over from the Construction Organisation after the completion of the new lines, doubling, etc. have not been received, although the works have been executed long back.

1.1 In accordance with the extant practice, all original drawings are required to be preserved in the Chief Engineer’s Office with a CE’s No. Assigned to each of them.

1.2 The non-availability of certain completion drawings, as mentioned above, in some cases, appears to be due to the same not having been handed over by the Construction Organisation or due to non-submission of the same to CE’s office by the Division after taking over the drawings from the Construction Organisation.

2. The completion drawings of any structure / bridge / building / yard etc. are vital documents which are required at a later date for any addition/ alteration or repairing work/ rehabilitation works etc., if any. In consequence, the availability of all such drawings/ plans and their preservation in a proper manner has assumed a greater importance.

3. It is the responsibility of the Construction Organisation to ensure that all the new assets viz. Bridge / structures / yards etc. That are handed over to the Open Line are supported by completion drawings. The Open Line Organisation also must ensure this while taking over the same. In addition to the completion drawings, relevant documents are also required to be prepared and handed over by the Construction Organisation to the Open Line Organisation.

4. The manner in which new lines are to be handed over to the Open Line Organisation by the Construction Organisation has been laid down vide Paras 1609 to 1633 of the Engineering Code, 1993 Edition.

5. The Railway Board had also issued instructions from time to time in connection with handing over and taking over assets for maintenance works.

5.1 The Board vide their letter No.89/W2/DL/0/7 dated 22.01.1991 issued guidelines for handing over/taking over of newly laid tracks by construction organisation/track renewal units to open line maintenance units. Supplementary instructions on the subject were also issued by the Board, as contained in their letter No.89/W2/DL/0/7 dt. 20.03.1991. These were circulated to all concerned under GM (Engg.)/GRC's endorsement No.G/ New Lines/ Maint/ Pt.IV, dt.19.4.1991.

5.1.1 One of the basic instructions is that there should be constant dialogue and inter-action between Construction and Open Line engineers throughout the construction process in respect of track as also regarding ultimate facilities required for maintenance and operation of the section, structure, track geometry and quality of work. It should be ensured that a final joint inspection is carried out at least 3 months prior to handing over the line.

5.2 It has also been laid down that foot by foot survey should be carried out at PWIs level to prepare a telegraph post/ electric post-wise list of deficiencies. Deficiencies in track geometry and fittings should also be recorded. The list of deficiencies should be signed jointly by the PWIs and one copy of each submitted to the respective AENs.

5.3 Supplementary instructions as well as certain revised guidelines were issued vide Board's letter No.89/W2/DL/0/7 dt.10.5.19991. The manner in which the deficiencies should be made good has also been laid down. These were also circulated to all concerned vide GM (Engg.)'s endorsement No.G/New Lines/Maint/ Policy dt.12.6.91.

5.4 It has been laid down that the handing over/ taking over of works done by construction units should be done at the following levels: -

Preliminary reporting by AENs and final taking over at JAG/ Divisional level officer. Actual store items will be handed over/ taken over by the PWIs with AENs' countersignature. The Headquarter representative viz Territorial CEs should associate themselves with the taking over process to ensure that the instructions are followed.

6. In a nut-shell, the handing over of new sections should be done in a systematic manner. Good quality work is to be ensured, staff sanctions for maintenance obtained, selected staff to be in position, the prescribed registers opened, completion drawings/ land plans finalised and the required facilities provided to facilitate efficient operations of the section without having to arrange for further facilities/ staff subsequently.

7. The Railway Board vide their letter No.85/W6/TS/3 dt.2.7.1991 have further issued instructions on track laying-quality control and handing over/ taking over between Maintenance unit and Construction or Track Renewal Unit. Boards letter dt. 2.7.1991 brings out in detail the standards for formation, ballasting, track etc. These instructions of the Board were circulated under GM (Engg.)'s letter No.TC/Tr.Maint/Poly/2854 dt. 26.7.1991 and re-circulated as CE's Circular No.121 of 1994.

7.1 GM/GRC's letter No.G/ New Lines/ Take over/ Policy dt.28.11.1992 may also please be noted in this connection.

8. Railway Board's letter No.89/W2/OL/0/7 dt.13.6/7.1994 stipulated that the newly created assets are to be taken over by open line orgainsation without any delay and it should be the responsibility of the THOD to remain in touch with the field work being executed by the construction branch right from the beginning so that the new works are executed as per specification and assets taken over within 60 days of their commissiong.

9. The documents required to be handed over to the Open Line Organisation have also been detailed in the relevant paragraphs of the Engineering Code as listed hereunder: -

i) Narrative Handing over Notes under different heads as brought out in Para 1620.

ii) List of Bridges (Para-1621).

iii) List of Buildings (Para-1622).

iv) List of Level Crossings (Para-1623).

v) List of Bench Marks (Para-1624).

vi) List of Completion Drawings (Para-1625).

vii) List of Tools ans Plants Made Over (Para-1626).

viii) List of Permanent-Way Materials Made Over as Imprest (Para-1627).

ix) List of Petty and Consumable Stores Made Over (Para-1628).

x) List of Interlocking Materials Made Over (Para-1629).

xi) List of Materials Lying at Site of Works Made Over (Para-1630).

xii) List Showing Maintenance Labour and Staff transferred to Open Line (Para-1631).

xiii) Track Renewal Graphs (Para-1632).

xiv) Statement showing Route and Track Kilometrage (Para-1633).

9.1 The above lists and statements are required to be compiled in the format as prescribed in the Engineering Code against respective paragraphs.

10. As stipulated vide para 1618E- “When handing over a project or work to the Open Line authorities at least two copies of the documents as specified in paragraphs 1620 to 1633 should be prepared. One copy each of the documents should be sent for record in the division office and the other for record in the Head Quarters office of the Open Line administration.”

10.1 The above stipulations need to be ensured by the divisions while taking over any new asset.

11. In GM (Engg.)’s letter No. G/New Lines/Pt.V dt. 09-07-1998 references of paragraphs of the Engineering Code regarding documents to be handed over to the open line organisation have been spelt out. There are other important documents which are also required to be handed over by the construction organisation.

11.1 Accordingly, the following documents, in original, are also required to be prepared and handed over by the construction organisation.

i) Detailed Project Report,

ii) Inspection Registers prescribed by IRPWM with results of inspections carried out duly entered by construction PWI/Officers.

iii) Deep Cutting Register,

iv) Tunnel Inspection Register,

v) Original “L” section in tracing paper, duly approved,

vi) The certified land plans, (Chapter VIII of IRWM, 2000 Edition) and land boundary registers,

vii) In the event of land having been acquired for the new line, the important land acquisition documents and compensation paid etc. should be handed over to Open Line by the Construction Organisation.

viii) P.Way Diagram,

ix) The original completion drawing of all the bridges including road-over bridges, road-under bridges, etc.,

x) The original completion drawing of all the buildings and other structures,

xi) The stations yard plans, as executed,

xii) The water supply arrangement details and the plans for water supply distributory systems,

xiii) The details of water purification plant, if any,

xiv) The details of tube wells dug at different stations/ colonies,

xv) The Index plan Register,

xvi) Standard measurement book for service buildings/staff Qtrs. etc.,

xvii) Bridge inspection register,

xviii) Asset register,

xix) Colony road diagram & settlement plan,

xx) LWR Plans,

xxi) Thermit welding Registers,

xxii) Section register,

xxiii) Curve register,

xxiv) Points and crossing register,

xxv) History of each and every rail and/or weld failure register,

xxvi) List of sections having ballast deficiency,

xxvii) If any grade infringement/ infringement to schedule of dimensions is there, it should be recorded in the handing over/taking over notes.

xxviii) If any non-standard fittings have been used on Track/ Bridge, sufficient spares should be arranged by Construction Organisation.

xxix) CRS’s sanction of all the level crossings,

xxx) Compliance of CRS’s observations at the time of opening should be recorded while taking over the assets.

xxxi) History of major breaches/cutting slips/accident register,

xxxii) Bad bank register, if any,

xxxiii) List of RATs with details/ history/plans, if any,

xxxiv) List of on-going works still to be done in the section with target dates.

xxxv) A Final statement of deficiencies as per para 2(c) of Board's letter dated 22.01.91.

xxxvi) Approved estimate as per para 2(d) of Board's letter dt.22.1.91.

xxxvii) In case there were any special feature like excessive tilting of wells of major bridges, unusual phenomenon encountered while constructing new line, etc., a detailed note covering these aspects should also be handed over to the Open Line by the Construction Organisation.

12. The above lists are not exhaustive. Other important documents/ statements/ registers that will be useful to O/L Organisation are also required to be prepared and handed over to Open Line by Construction Organisation.

13. Similarly, the documents to be handed over to the departments like S &T, Electrical and other departments are also required to be prepared and handed over to the respective departments by the construction Organisation.

14. In view of what has been stated in the foregoing paragraphs, it is necessary that the standard of construction is as per laid down norms and smooth handing over / taking over takes place. While taking over any new asset viz. new line, doubling etc., the division should ensure that the related drawings/ documents of all the new assets as mentioned earlier are properly examined & submitted to the HQ Office which should take adequate care for listing out and preservation of the same in a proper manner.

Sd/-

(M. R. DAS)

Chief Planning & Design Engineer