Functions - Inspection Headquarters

Functions of Auditee Departments

Engineering Department:

The Civil Engineering is responsible for the construction and maintenance of all civil engineering assets, viz all buildings including station buildings, residential quarter, hospital, sheds, workshop structures, goods sheds etc., water supply and sanitary installations, Railway tracks, sidings and all allied structures, Bridges including Road over bridges and Road under bridges.

 The maintenance wing (Open Line) of Civil Engineering organization is headed by the Principal Chief Engineer. The Principal Chief Engineer is assisted by Chief Engineers in the Headquarters. The Chief Engineers are assisted by Deputy Chief Engineers, Executive Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers.

Mechanical Department:

Mechanical department is responsible for maintenance of Motive Power, Rolling Stock and other mechanical equipment of the Railways. . Mechanical Department is also responsible for maintenance of all passengers and freight stock and Diesel locos over Northern Railway.  Mechanical Department of the Railways have within their control one or more workshops, in which locomotive, carriages wagons are periodically examined, repaired and overhauled before being placed back on the line.

Electrical Department:

Activities of Electrical Department of Northern Railway covers -Operation and maintenance of Electric Locos, EMU, MEMU, Overhead Head Electrical Equipment (OHE) its Maintenance and operation, Planning, Electrical Coaching stock operation & maintenance and Electrical general power supply, Air conditioning, Diesel Generating set operation and maintenance and Water supply.

Commercial Department:

The Commercial Department is responsible for selling tickets and booking goods through rendering services to passengers at stations and on board trains to dealing with  running of both passengers and goods trains and to examine these increasing requirements and has to organize for satisfying the same. This also involves planning for infrastructural development. It also deals with compensation claims.

Operating Department:

The operating department is concerned with the running of both passengers and goods trains. The department also arranges multi modal traffic in regular coordination with Container Corporation of India. This includes both traffic for export and traffic for domestic use. Operating department is central authority to control and co-ordinate operation. Full and efficient utilization of the existing carrying capacity.

The passenger traffic has seen a constant increase over the years, due to increase in population as well as due to increased requirement to travel due to economic development. The freight traffic has also increased simultaneously. The Operating Department has to examine these increasing requirements and has to organize for satisfying the same. This also involves planning for infrastructural development and as such the Operating Department also plays a pivotal role in planning.

Signal & Communication Department:

The role of the Signalling and Telecommunication Department of the Indian Railways is to provide a modern, efficient and reliable signaling system for speedy, smooth and safe running of trains and also enable reduction in train operation cost.

Signalling is vital to Railway Safety.  To cope with the rising traffic density and to meet with better safety standards. Northern Railway is steadily modernizing its signalling systems. Electronic Interlocking, Route Relay Interlocking, Panel Interlocking, Colour Light and Automatic Block Signalling have been introduced o­n many routes. Safety aids like Track Circuiting and interlocking of level crossing gates and provision of telephones at manned level crossings had been increasingly adopted to further enhance safety in train operation.