University of Mumbai to set up a ‘Rail Innovation and Technology Centre’ for Students

University of Mumbai to set up a ‘Rail Innovation and Technology Centre’ for Students

Mumbai: The University of Mumbai is collaborating with the Indian Railways to set up a ‘Rail Innovation and Technology Centre’ to offer specialized courses to students.

With a budget of Rs 143 crore set aside for the project, the centre aims to develop cutting-edge technologies in the rail-wheel interface, noise and vibration control, in the signal system, and also in building high-speed railway networks.

The project was approved by the management council of the university on Monday. It is a first-of-its-kind collaboration, said a university official.

Specialized courses related to railroad technology at the post-graduate level and sustained research at higher level was proposed in the agreement. Along with research and innovation, the centre will offer PG courses in railway mechanical, civil and electrical engineering along with several diploma courses.

“The courses will be designed as per the needs of the railways. The centre will train the engineers dedicated for expertise in railway engineering. Students at the centre will also have assured jobs in the railways,” registrar of the university M A Khan said.

He said collaboration talks were initiated when railway minister Suresh Prabhu came visiting for the Indian Science Congress last month. The railways will disburse funds over five years, starting with Rs 25 crore in the first year.

The innovation centre will function from the specialized school of engineering to be set up at the university sub-campus in Kalyan.

The courses will be offered at Kalina, and the sub-campuses at Kalyan and Ratnagiri. The university budget was also presented in the council meeting on Monday.

The Technology Centre will also focus on intelligent systems engineering involving detection, sensing, communication, materials, structures and software technologies that can be applied to rail infrastructure, operations and traffic, i.e.

the track (materials, installation, monitoring, maintenance, design, and performance);

associated vehicles (trains and their operation),

other plant (e.g. signalling, communications, information management).

While focussing on this central theme, no aspect of railway-related research is excluded and collaborative projects will be encouraged in any relevant area.  The Technology Centre will:

identify Indian Railway’s research and development needs, matching projects and expertise against them,

present Indian Railways with a range of state-of-the-art engineering research outcomes (e.g. IP) and ongoing activity from which it can draw, use to stimulate its own thinking or contribute to or collaborate in.