Freight Operations Information System

(FOIS): A complete Freight Business

Solution for Indian Railways
19 April 2022

Dr. Amit Kumar Jain

GM/FOIS/CRIS
Structure • Freight Operations Information System
• SFOORTI
• Freight Business Development Portal
• Rail Sugam
• Digitally Integrated Supply Chain
• Way forward
• QUIZ
OVERVIEW OF IR Freight Business
Route Kilometres 68,000 KMs*

Avg. Number of Freight trains 5,000

Monitored Daily
Freight Carried (Yearly) (2021-22) 1418 Million Tonnes

Freight Earnings (Yearly) (2021-22) 1,43,732  Cr. (Rs.)

(19 Bn US$)
Stations and sidings on IR Network 11,000

Number of Freight customers 14,000

Number of Freight Terminals 3000

Share of Freight
Revenue: IR
2011-22
Key Characteristics- Freight Operations
• Demand Driven
• Unscheduled
• Operations
• Rake
• Locomotive
• Crew guard
• Path
• Limited piecemeal loading
• Customer Expectation
• Prompt supply of rakes
• Timely delivery
• Cargo tracking on real time basis
• End to end logistics-digitally integrated supply chain

5
Freight Train Cycle

Maintenance

Un Loading Loading

Rake
formation

Loading Unloading
Freight Operations Cycle
Placement of Indent (Demand) Expected Completion Time

Allocation of Empty Rake as per priority Loco Planning

Movement of Empty Rake Crew Planning

Maintenance (Examination) of Empty Rake Arrival of Locomotive at Loading Location

Placement of Empty for Loading Completion of Loading

7
Freight Operations Cycle
Freight Collection and Railway Receipt En-route Traction Changing (if required)
Issuance

Train Arrival at Destination

Loaded Train Departure

Delivery of Cargo on Production of RR

Train Forecasting across Divisional
Boundaries
Unloading of Train

Handing Over of Trains at Interchange

Points
Loco/Crew planning to lift empty rake

Crew Changing at Nominated Locations Empty Rake Planning

8
INDIAN RAILWAYS TRAIN MONITORING AND
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Coordinating Agency for Overall Train Operations

RB
• Coordinating Agency For Divisions in Zone
• Interchange Decisions
16 + 1 Zones
• Train Planning-Schedule preparation
• Path Planning
69 Divisions • Loco & Crew Coordination

• Execution of Train Journey Plan

305 Section Controls • Advance Planning for train operations
• Conflict Resolution

8000+ Station Controls •

•
Train Preparation Activities
Reporting of Train running

CENTRE FOR RAILWAY INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CRIS)

SCALE OF FREIGHT OPERATIONS

Loading
3,00,000
1000 ◦ 1000 Rakes
Wagons
Trains Per ◦ 60,000 Wagons
(Freight
Day
cars) ◦ 3.4 Million Tonnes (MT)

MIXED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

36 million
14,000
*Transactions a
Locomotives
day * Including ~3 Crore from RTIS/REMMLOT Updates
Freight Operations Information
System-Complete Solution

• Train Operations

• Freight Revenue Management

• Customer Relation Management

• Integrated Logistics solution

DIGITISATION JOURNEY OF IR: CRIS
1986-1996 2003-2008 2014 onwards

Preliminary Complete Operations

Integration

Ticketing and Train All aspects of operation

Train Tracking
operations Control Office/ Crew
Finance - IMMS and VIMS
FOIS on Mainframes Mgmt
Mobile Applications
PRS – CONCERT Customer Interfacing
Integrated Dashboards,
Development CRIS Data center
Optimization and Forecasting (PRS, FOIS)
ESB, CRIS cloud

Freight Operations & Expansion

PRS
Redevelopment - FOIS and Projects of all Railway
PRS departments - Fixed
Implementation – FOIS, PRS, Assets, Rolling Stock,
UTS and e-Ticketing Purchase, finance and
Accounts

1997-2002 2009-2013
 Business
Processes
Freight operations information system(FOIS) JOURNEY
Pipeline eT-RR
Apportionm
Mgmt. Launched
ent
Project 3 Revision
rd
System
E-ACT
Sanction RMS Rollout Sanctioned Sanctioned
Implement
(1986) (2000) (2008) (2014) ed
TPMS
Implement
ed

In-House TMS Rollout 4th Revision e-CRM

Developme (2004) Sanctioned Sanctioned
nt (1996) (2013) (2015-16)

CRIS &CMC
Worked on
Design &
Development
Line
E- Red Tariff, Master
Registratio MGR Implement
n of Implement ed
Demand ed Traffic (YMS)
Launched Accounts
Module
Digital journey

Digitization Digitalization Digital

Transformation

“Today, Indian Railways Freight Business Process has been completely digitalized
requiring physical movement of goods only.”
 FOIS DESIGN - CONCEPTUAL
• IR’s Freight Business -
• OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
• COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
• Each Activity broken down in terms of Entities / Objects
• RAKES
• LOADS
• WAGONS
• LOCOMOTIVES
• RAILWAY RECEIPTS
• INVOICE etc.
FOIS ARCHITECTURE – APPLICATION
INTEGRATION
FOIS ARCHITECTURE – APPLICATION INTEGRATION

Train Running Information

Received
Station Master,
Chargeable Distance,
Freight KPIs COA Rationalized Route,
Enhanced Route and
E- RBS Operational Distance

DRISHTI

TIBCO
WS WS Loco Maintenance and Loco
Earning and Goods
Master Data
Balance Sheet

TAMS SLAM
TIBCO TIBCO

FOIS
WS
Train Running Information
TIBCO
along with wagons. Rake
Examination ICMS Loco utilization in
passenger service
TIBCO
FMM TIBCO

RR and freight details along

CLAIMS with other charges
Train Running Information CMS Published
TIBCO : Enterprise Messaging Bus

published , Crew Data WS : SOA USING WEB SERVICE

Exchange
FOIS Modules
• Rake Management System

• Terminal Management System

FOIS -RAKE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (RMS)
• Operations module- Complete Rake Lifecycle: Formation to Dissipation.

• Train Running and En-route Exceptions (Diversions, Wagon Attachment/ Detachments

etc.)

• Automatic Capturing of Train Running through COA Integration

• Loco and Wagon Master Management

• Information Capture for Sectional Runnings, Stabling, Yarding, Re-routings, Operating

Placements

• Capturing of Rake Examinations and Weighment Particulars

• Management of Loco Schedules

 FOIS-TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TMS)
• Complete Consignment Lifecycle: Booking to Delivery of Goods

• Rake Allotment, Loading Particulars, Calculation of Freight Charges and

Rebates through system, GST

• Generation, Printing and Electronic Transmission of Railway Receipt

• Electronic Collection of WRF and Freight Charges

• Implementation of Rate Circulars issued by RB

• Calculation and Collection of Demurrage/Wharfage and Rebates through

System

• Sub-module for Traffic Accounts Office for Raising Error Sheets

• Integrated with Banks, Web-Claims and More

• Rs 400 crore per day
 TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Activities in TMS
Program Traffic

Demand Arrival of Goods

Outward Cycle Inward Cycle

Rake/Wagon
Sub System

Allotment Placement
Release Empty

Release Loaded Unloading

Delivery & Collection

Loading of Charge

Generation of RR &
Collection of Freight Removal of
Consignment

© Centre For Railway Information Systems

“Today, Freight operations involved physical
movement of goods only. All business process can
be performed online.”
Digital customer Services
E-Demand -95%

E-TRR- 98%

Digital Payment- 96%

• E-payment
• Online Payment

On Line Requests/applications
ET-RR – PROCESS FLOW
Customer Opts
for eT-RR

Freight
Collected by GC

Secure eT-RR generated &

sent to Consignor

Transfer eT-RR to Consignee

eT-RR Surrender to Railways

e-Surrender Slip generated

and sent to Consignee
through Mail

e-Surrender Slip verified

 Payment of Freight Charges
• E-Payment (82%) Period: March 2022
• Tripartite Agreement

• Freight is charged automatically from the bank

account of the customer

• Online Payment (14%)

• Netbanking

• Credit/debit cards

• Manual Payment (4%)

• Demand Draft
FOIS ARCHITECTURE (e-Payment)
5
PUBLIC FIREWALL FOIS
NETWORK WAN

4/5
1
10
6
WEB
SERVER 1.1 Validate Field
BANK (Green Zone) Request F
SYSTEM 3
O
T I
S
U 9
Web Logic APPLICATION
SERVER (Blue Zone )
2 . Request for Epayment X D
A
Session Bean 8 Reply from App server to tuxedo
E T
A
D B
O A
S
E
2.1 Check for Transaction
7 Storing Data in DataBase
 SFOORTI
Smart Freight Operations Optimisation & Real Time Information
AN INNOVATIVE FREIGHT MONITORING APP
SFOORTI

State of the art GIS Interface for advanced tracking of assets

Analysis of Freight Business KPIs through innovative

dashboards and charts
SFOORTI
 INDIAN RAILWAYS

FREIGHT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

PORTAL

Dr Amit Kumar Jain

GM/RMS/CRIS
Demonstration
RMS, TMS, SFOORT and FBD
 RAIL SUGAM
Smart user group with advanced mobility
 RAIL SUGAM

• A Mobile App for IR Freight Business to bring Ease of Doing

Business for individuals and corporates
• Designed to meet the immediate requirements of IR’s
potential customers, existing customers and those having
interest in knowing more about IR’s freight operations and
performance
• A turning point and a marketing tool to improve the
confidence of freight customers by providing best in class,
easy to use interface for accessing freight related
information of Indian Railways.
 RAIL SUGAM

• The App- released on Android Play store and Apple App-store,

has enhanced GIS views, dashboards and data views on
multiple Indian Railways freight aspects including
performance, terminal handling details, contact details of
concerned officers and many more features
• Easy to use feature for its existing customers through which
they can track and trace the position of their goods in transit
over Indian Railways

Track & Trace (GIS)

 Key features
• Booking Process
• Terminal Search
• Smart Calculator
• Services:
• Timetable movement, First-mile Last-mile, Booked Route
• Schemes and Partnerships
• Incentive Schemes, Own a Terminal, Own a Wagon
• IR Freight Performance
• Indents & Allotments, Business Performance, FOIS Dashboard
 Key features…
• Facilities to raise a concern through RailMadad
• Contact detail of IR Nodal Officers
• Links to Statistical Statement, Freight Business Development
(FBD) Portal, FOIS Website and Rates Branch System
Key features…

Booking Process Smart Calculator Incentive Schemes Business Performance

Key features…

Terminal Search Timetabled Movement FBD Portal Nodal Officers

Key features…

Own a Terminal First-mile Last-mile Indents & Allotments RailMadad

Digitally integrated supply chain

For Freight Customers

B2B Through FOIS
Banks for e-
Data Sharing Freight
with Major
Dept. Of Mines
Industry
(State Govt.)
Players Like
SAIL/NTPC etc.

FOIS
CLAIMS CBEC

Container Train
Mobile App
Operators

Pre-Weigh bin Bulk Customers

Systems (e-Indenting)
WE VALUE YOUR BUSINESS- DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

• E-Customer – Specialized Dasboard/reports for customers

- Immediate access to customer’s business
- Easy to use UI with interactive queries
- Queries tailor made to customers’ requirements
- Data collated from multiple sources
- and much more..
CUSTOMIZED DASHBOARD
DRIVING THE CHANGE..

• Customized bespoke developments for

freight customers
• Data integrations with business ERPs
• Application Programming Interface (API)
handles for secure data exchange

We fuel the engine of your growth strategy…

B2B INTEGRATION WITH CUSTOMERS

• Integration with Customers’ ERPs

Karnataka
State Govt.
(Dept. Of • Customised interface with customers
Mines)
• Integrations with Govt Agencies
FOIS (State and Center Govt.)
Integration with Customers
 WO Rake Unloading at destination
ATF + HSD

Jalandhar

Ludhiana

Diversion
Via Firozpur
Benefits

VISIBILITY REAL TIME SECURITY UTILISATION OF ADVANCED PLANNING

MONITORING WAGONS OF UNLOADING
Integration with Logistics Service Providers-Ware Housing
SHARING of EXIM Container data
Port Community SYSTEM
Integration with Logistics DATA Bank (LDB)
Integration with Logistics DATA Bank (LDB)
FOIS – Building India’s Logistics
Eco-System

We meet customized requirement of business stake holders through

data sharing
• Container Movement with NICDC – Logistics Data Bank
• Consignment Tracking with NITI Aayog – ULIP (Unified Logistic Interface
Platform)
• Freight Traffic for ports – Data sharing with Min. of Shipping – PCS 1.x
• Coal Planning and Movement with Ministry of Power/CEA – PRAKASH Portal
• Customized solution for COAL INDIA LIMITED.
• Who, When and Where on need basis data sharing with NATGRID through a
customized solution.
• Oxygen Train movement with MeiTy
Way forward
• Further, Seamless integration with other systems
• Network Optimization
• Route
• Path
• Data analytics
• Empty Flow optimization
• Demand Forecasting
• ETA estimation

64
QUIZ Time
1. Which are the two modules of FOIS?
2. Proportion of Freight revenue in total revenue of IR?
3. What information FOIS gets from CMS?
4. RR is issued by RMS (T/F)
5. Online payment and e-payment are one and the same thing. (T/F)
6. Physical Surrender of RR is not required with e-TRR. (T/F)
7. Loco master of passenger locos is available in FOIS (T/F)
8. FOIS gets wagon type data from FMM (T/F)

65
QUIZ Time
9. The planning of path for freight trains is done by section controller
(T/F)
10. There is two-way integration between FOIS and COA (T/F)
11. One needs Login ID to access information in SUGAM app (T/F)
12. E-Customer is dashboard for all the registered freight customers of
Indian Railways. (T/F)
13. Rail Madad is a complaint portal only for freight customers (T/F)
14. What is Pravah?
15. What is the purpose of Prakash Portal?
16. Which portal can be used to track movement of EXIM Containers?
66
 Dr. Amit Kumar Jain, GM/FOIS/CRIS 9650198665

CENTRE FOR RAILWAY INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CRIS)

 Crew optimisation
DATA ANALYTICS
Passenger Train Time
Table
Loco optimisation
• Framework for Freight Business

Rake release Traffic Route optimization

forecasts simulation

Commodity Empty Rake loading

forecasts rake forecasts
(Rakes) Optimization
(1.WRF policy
2. Analytics)

Actual demand