Unification

Of
Standard Specifications
&
Standard Schedule Of Rates
For Materials & Works
On
Indian Railways
 Indian Railways - Schedule Of Rates – Currently Prevalent
Status On Various Zonal Railways - As In March 2009
SL Railways Year Of Issue Of SOR

1. Central Railway, CSTM - Mumbai 2002

2. Eastern Railway, Kolkata 2005
3. East Central Railway, Hajipur 2008
4. East Coast Railway, Bhubaneswar 1992 (SER)
5. Northern Railway, New Delhi 1996
6. North Central Railway, Allahabad 2006
7. North Eastern Railway, Gorakhpur 1998
8. Northeast Frontier Railway, Maligaon 1993
9. North Western Railway, Jaipur 1993 & 1996
10. Southern Railway, Chennai 2008
11. South Central Railway, Secunderabad 2002
12. South Eastern Railway, Kolkata 1992
13. South East Central Railway, Bilaspur 2006
14. South Western Railway, Hubli 2004 (SR)
15. Western Railway, Churchgate - Mumbai 1993
16. West Central Railway, Jabalpur 2007
17. Metro Rail , Kolkata 2005
Such a situation resulted into :
 Unrealistic rates for various items in all
chapters of SOR.
 Creation of large number of Non-
Schedule items for various requirements
in the forms of new building materials,
concepts & solutions
Non-standard Specifications & varying
rates for N.S. items are cause of concern
to Indian Railway System.
1. In terms of recommendations of Works Standards
Committee, Railway Board constituted an Expert Group for
finalising ‘Unified Works Specifications’ and ‘Schedule of
Rates’ for adoption on Indian Railways.
2. As per various communications from Railway Board, latest
being of 30.9.08, 15.10.08 and 12.1.09; Constitution of
Expert Group was frozen as under :
(i) Shri Naresh Lalwani/Sr.Prof.Bridge/IRICEN Convenor
(ii) Shri J.S. Gupta, CE/Hqr, N.Railway Member
(iii) Shri S.B. Ninawe, CE/Works, W.Railway Member
(iv) Shri P.K. Acharya, CPDE, E.Railway Member
(v) Shri A.K. Sinha, CE/Works, S.Railway Member
(vi) Shri S.M. Maheshwari, ED/Works, RDSO Member
(vii) Shri P.K. Sinha, Director/F(X)-I, R.Bd. Member
(viii) Shri Alok Kumar, CE/P&D, N.Railway Member Secy.
(ix) Expert Team from M/s RITES Consultants
In terms of Railway Board’s no.
2004/LMB/1/4Pt., dated 22.9.06;
Ministry of Railways awarded
Consultancy to M/s RITES for ‘Unified
Works Specifications & preparation of
Computerized Basic Data Sheet to
enable preparation of Schedule of
Rates’.
 CURRENT STATUS
Railway Board vide their letter no.
2009/LMB/01/03, dated 14.01.10 have
communicated to all GMs & PSUs approval of Railway
Board (ME) alongwith concurrence of Finance
Directorate on the Unified Documents for ‘Standard
Schedule Of Rates’ & ‘Standard Specifications’ for
Works & Materials with the instructions :
 All Zonal Railways shall prepare their own SORs
based on common methodology for software based
‘Analysis Of Rates’ with input of basic cost of
materials, labour etc.
 These documents shall be followed for all future
tendering processes w.e.f. 1st April 2010.
Various Documents Referred/Consulted by Expert Group :
1. CPWD Specifications – 2002 Edition (Vol.1, Vol.2 & Vol.3 with
latest Correction Slips)
2. CPWD Schedule of Rates and Analysis of Rates 2002
3. National Building Code of India 2005, published by Bureau of
Indian Standards
4. Hand Book on Building Construction Practices, published by
Bureau of Indian Standards
5. Specifications for Road and Bridge Works, published by Indian
Road Congress (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
6. Standard Data Book for Analysis of Rates, published by
Indian Road Congress
7. Indian Railways Works Manual
8. Zonal Railways ‘Standard Specifications for Materials and
Works’; ‘Schedule of Rates’ and ‘Rate Analysis’ Books
9. RDSO’s Circulars and relevant Indian Railway Codes
10. Nabhi’s Compilation of Analysis of Rates – Civil Works
11. All India Standard Schedule of Rates and Analysis of Rates,
published by Ministry of Urban Development – National Building
Organisation and UN Regional Housing Centre
With valuable inputs from various Zonal
Railways/Field Units alongwith expertise
of RITES, following Unified Documents
have been finalised for Indian Railways
by nominated Expert Group -
1. Standard Specifications for
Materials and Works
2. Standard Schedule of Rates
3. Analysis of Rates for items of SOR
4. Computerised Basic Input Data
Sheet for prevailing rates of
materials, labour & equipments
 Indian Railways
Unified Standard Schedule Of Rates 2009
Chapters

No. Description No. Description

1. Earth Work 14. Drainage and Sewerage

2. Carriage of Materials 15. Sanitary Installations

3. Plain Concrete 16. Horticulture and Landscaping
4. Reinforced Cement Concrete
17. Miscellaneous Building Works
5. Brick Work
18. Dismantling and Demolishing
6. Stone Work
19. Bridge Works-Substructure
7. Wood Work
20. Bridge Works-Superstructure RCC
8. Steel & Aluminium Work
21. Bridge Works-Superstructure Steel
9. Flooring, Paving and Dado
22. Bridge Miscellaneous
10. Roofs and Ceilings
23. Road Work
11. Finishing Masonry
24. Fencing & Boundary Marks
12. Painting, Polishing & Varnishing
25. Supply of Materials
13. Water Supply
Salient Features Of Finalised Documents
1. 1st Comprehensive Schedule Of Rates to
be adopted uniformly by all Units of Engg.
Department on Indian Railways.
2. Facility for automatic updation through
software based Analysis Of Rates.
3. Updation of SOR is possible as frequently
as desired with very little efforts.
4. A combination of Universal Items being
used all over Indian Railways and also
area-specific items being used by some
Zonal Railways.
Salient Features Of Finalised Documents
5. About 4000 items from all possible fields of
works & materials, incorporating latest
practices & technology (existing SOR of NR
has only 1500 items).

6. Total 25 Chapters in USSOR.

7. The Basic Data Input Sheet designed for

feeding prevailing rates of materials, labour,
equipments etc. for preparing locations-
specific and also time-specific ‘Schedule of
Rates’ by Zonal Railways.
Salient Features Of Finalised Documents

8. Software for facilitating further

adoption in estimates preparation by
Zonal Railways.
9. Further Vision through integrated
I.T. & Instrumentation based
development and adoption on Indian
Railways - In preparation of
estimates, tender schedule,
measurement of works and billing &
payment of work.
 Numbering System of Items
• A modern system of numbering has been
adopted.
• System is computer friendly and will help in
making software for computerisation of
estimates & billing processes.
• Every SOR item consists of 6 numeric
digits.
• First 2 digits (left side) indicate chapter no.
From 01 to 025 such as 031010 item in
chapter no. 3.
• Next one digit indicate group within chapter
it is value from 1-9 only e.g.031010
• 1 indicate first group of chapter 03 of plain
concrete , i.e. group 1 for cement concrete
(Cast in Situ)
• Next 2 digits are main items nos, varying
from 01-99.E.g. 031011 are continuous
within in same sub group but restart from
01 with change of sub group
• Next one digit i.e. Right most digit indicate
sub item within the main item. Vary from 0-
9 and will have value 0 if there is no sub
item.
 New Features
• Latest materials and technologies for repairs to roof
leakages, e.g. PPR membrane, Epoxy etc.
• Technological advancements & mechanisation,
especially in fields of bridges, roads, building
repairs, protection works etc.
• Four new Chapters for construction, repair &
maintenance of Bridges have been introduced for
better upkeep of bridges and its approaches.
• One Chapter exclusively for items of Horticulture
and Landscaping.
• Unified Standard Specifications in Two Volumes are
quite exhaustive/elaborate for guidance to Railway
Engineers in getting the works done with quality,
standards & with latest materials, concepts &
solutions.
Final Results :
The complete exercise of standardising
Specifications, SOR & AOR will help Railway
organisation financially; because all efforts have
been made to remove various shortcomings in
existing documents and all possible latest cost-
effective solutions, modern & technologically
advanced practices in construction fields have been
standardised & incorporated for uniform adoption on
Indian Railways.
Railways have successfully leaped forward in
preparing an ultra-modern technology based
document which will help IR a long way in the years
to come.
A separate part for P. Way Items is under
preparation which will form part of this Unified
SOR at later stage.
 General Instructions

• Cost of cement is not included in any item except

where specifically mentioned in the item.

• However, in case of pre-fabricated CC/RCC

items, which are to be purchased from market,
cost of cement in manufacturing these items is
included in rate. Cost of white cement, wherever
required is included in the rate of relevant item.
 General Instructions ..Contd..
• Cost of carriage of materials up to the site
of work is included in the input cost of basic
items.
• In Rate Analysis, misc. expenditure has
been taken care of under the heading
‘Sundries’ (indicated by Item Code 9999 in
the Basic Rates Sheet). Rate for ‘Sundries’
has been taken as 1.00 and will remain
constant for all Zonal Railways. This shall
be increased @ 5% per annum, i.e. rate
after one year shall be changed from 1.00
to 1.05.
 General Instructions ..Contd..
• Design Mix Cement Concrete of all grades from
M-15 to M-40 will be paid at same rate
irrespective of grade mentioned in the item.
Grade mentioned is for guidance purpose.
However, grade of RCC to be used at site shall
be mentioned in the BOQ.
• Polyester Triangular Fibre may be added in
CC/RCC/Plaster/Flooring/Concrete Pavement &
other Misc. items of any Chapter, e.g. Chapters -
3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 17, 19, 20 & 23 and wherever
required. However, relevant item is given in
Chapter 4 (RCC) as Item no. 045030
(Specifications - Para 4.11).
 General Instructions ..Contd..
• Cost of Admixture shall be paid extra unless specified in
the item.
• Items in Chapter-21 are for works not requiring traffic
block unless otherwise specified in the relevant item. All
items are for clear span upto 45.7m, unless otherwise
specified.
• Consumption of cement, if any has been mentioned
against the relevant item in the SOR. Quantity indicated is
in quintal required for execution of one unit quantity of
relevant item. In case of Design Mix, cement consumption
shall be as per approved mix. However, indicative cement
consumption has been given. In case of hollow/solid block
masonry, consumption of cement shall be assessed at
site as it depends upon size/shape/type of block.
 General Instructions … Contd…

• Cost of shuttering, wherever required, has to be

paid separately and is not included in the rate of
item except where specifically mentioned.
Shuttering shall be paid only for the area coming
in contact with the concrete surface.
• Fusion bonded epoxy-coated reinforcement bars
as per relevant item in Chapter 4 shall be used in
coastal areas or as decided by the Engineer-in-
charge.
• For bridge works, items mentioned in Chapters –
19, 20, 21 and 22 shall be used. These items
shall not be used for any work other than bridge
works.
 General Instructions … Contd…

• Species of suitable wood to be used against

items mentioning country wood shall be identified
and approved by Zonal Railway. New items may
have to be derived by Railways, if there is rate
difference in different species.
• Use of asbestos fibre cement items in new
structures shall be discouraged and these items
shall be used only for maintenance of existing
structures.
• PL-AL-PL and CPVC pipes shall be used with
specific approval of competent authority, as these
are very costly.
 Operating Instructions
• Analysis of Rates has been done in three Excel
files named AOR1, AOR2 and AOR3. Chapters
included in these files are given below :
• ‘AOR1’ - Chapter nos. 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16,
17, 20, 22, 23, 24 & 26 (Total 14 nos.)
• ‘AOR2’ - Chapter nos. 8, 11, 13, 18, 21 & 25
(Total 6 nos.)
• ‘AOR3’ - Chapter nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 19 (Total 6
nos.)
 Operating Instructions ….Contd…
• SOR and AOR files are in non-editable form and
corrections to these can be done by the
nominated competent authority, as to be
nominated by Railway Board.
• Since, all the files are mutually linked within the
folder, any attempt to modify any one of these
may distort other files. Therefore, only the
competent and authorized person shall be
allowed to access the soft copies of these
documents.
 Operating Instructions ….Contd…
• The procedure for initial preparation & subsequent
updation of SOR is detailed below -
a. Open all the five Excel files in the folder in following
sequence - Basic Rate Sheet, AOR1, AOR2, AOR3,
SOR.
b. While opening each file, a dialogue box asking "update/do
not update" will appear, in which "update" command
should be given. Further, second dialogue box will
appear, where "Continue" command shall be given.
c. Make the changes in the file "Basic Rate Sheet". Changes
are possible only in the rate column. It will ask for a
password for making changes. This is the most important
stage and Railways must ensure that password is suitably
secured.
 Operating Instructions ….Contd…
d. As soon as change in rate of any item in ‘Basic Rate Sheet’
file is made, its effect will be shown instantly in the rates of
all items of SOR, where this particular item has been used.
e. After making all the required changes in the basic input
rates, all files must be saved one by one and then closed
one by one. Changes in SOR will be effective only when all
files have been saved & closed properly.
f. The sequence of opening of file shall be strictly followed as
given above. Any deviation from the procedure as given
above may cause errors.
g. The closing sequence would be the same as the opening
sequence.
 Procedure For Change In SOR Items And
Specifications –
1. Can be done with the approval of Railway Board only.
2. In case, any Zonal Railway finds any discrepancy in SOR
Items or Specifications which is creating problem in execution
of that particular item, it should form a Committee consisting
of two nominated Chief Engineers, one each of Open Line
and Construction Unit, who should study the problem and
give its recommendations. If the change suggested by them
has a financial implication, concerned FA&CAO of Open Line
shall also be associated in this Committee.
Recommendations of this Committee, duly recommended by
Principal Chief Engineer of Zonal Railway shall be forwarded
to Land Management Directorate is dealing with the subject
(At present). Railway Board will issue necessary amendment
to all Railways after considering the proposal.
Procedure For Addition Of New Item In ‘Standard Schedule
Of Rates’ –
Zonal Railways are authorised to add any item in ‘Unified
Standard SOR’. For this a committee of two Chief Engineers
(OL+ Const) along with concerned FA&CAO of Open Line shall
scrutinise the new items to be added in SOR as proposed from
any field unit or Division.
The committee shall also scrutinise the AOR.
Recommendations to be put up to PCE, Once PCE approves
the item along with its analysis of rates, the same may be
incorporated by Zonal Railway in the SOR in the respective
Chapter.
Zonal Railways shall advise the list of all such new items
included in their SOR every year in the month of December to
Railway Board, who shall scrutinise all these items received
from all Zonal Railways and if found fit, will circulate list of New
Items to be included subsequently in ‘Unified SOR’ applicable
for all Zonal Railways.
 Procedure For Deletion Of Item From ‘Standard
Schedule Of Rates’
PCE shall be the authority to ban execution of any particular
item on the Zonal Railway, if they find that the particular
item is not suitable to their Railway system due to any
reason.
For this purpose, the item may not be deleted from SOR;
but only a letter under the signature of PCE shall be
circulated to all concerned on his Railway, informing list of
items which shall not be operated by field units. In case,
PCE is of the opinion that any particular item included in
‘Unified Standard SOR’ is having adverse effect and needs
to be deleted from it, the matter shall be referred to
Railway Board, which will take necessary decision.
 New Features
Some of New Materials/Concepts Introduced :
• Aluminum Composite Panels
• Acrylic Paints, Texture Paints
• Ductile, PPR & CPVC Pipes
• PE-Al. PE Composite Pressure Pipes
• Innovative Roof Treatment Methods
• Polyester Triangular Fibres With Cement
• Vitrified Tiles for floors, walls etc.
• Granites for floors, walls etc.
• Concertina Wires
• Polycarbonate Roof Sheeting
• Bamboo Matt Corrugated Roof Sheeting
• Polymer Coated G.I. Sheet Roofing
 New Features
Some of New Materials/Concepts Introduced :
• Alkali/Acid proof tiles
• Anti-algal & Anti-skid paver tiles
• Precast Coping stones
• Studded Tiles (Tack Tiles)
• Stainless Steel Railings
• Stainless Steel Benches
• Precast RCC Benches
• Membrane Curing
• Variety Of Aluminium Sheet Roofing
• Galvalume/Zincalume Sheet Roofing
• Bamboo & Jute Products
• Gabions & Other Protection Materials
 Aluminium composite panels
• Aluminium composite panels (ACP) is a
type of flat panel that consists of two thin
aluminium sheets bonded to a non
aluminium core.
• ACPs are frequently used for external
cladding .
ACP Panel Cladding
 Ductile pipes
• Ductile iron pipes is a pipe made of ductile
iron commonly used for potable water
transmission and distribution.
• This type of pipe is a direct development of
earlier cast iron pipes. ductility is a solid
material's ability to deform under tensile
stress; this is often characterized by the
material's ability to be stretched into a wire.
Ductile pipes
 PPR Pipes
• PPR pipe can deliver hot water at 95°c with
a pressure of 1.2MPa making them the ideal
plastic for both hot and cold use. Pipes and
fittings made from Polypropylene Random
Copolymer exhibit superior performance for
hot and cold water plumbing of residential
buildings, commercial complexes, offices
and hotels.
• Presently PP-R pipes & fittings are most
reliable in plumbing and water supply
plants, due to their chemical features and
fusion welding, which ensures the plumbing
to have a perfect seal tight system.
• Approved by the Health Organization, Eco-
Friendly Quality, Temperature Resistance
Quality etc, puts PP-R pipes & fittings as
the best selection.
PPR pipes
 CPVC Pipes
• Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) is
produced by chlorination of chloride PVC
Uses include hot and cold water
• Piping systems are the ideal choice,
because they are corrosion resistant,
durable, smooth, friction free, resistant to
bacterial growth and environment friendly,
besides a host of other user friendly features
and industrial liquid handling.
 UPVC pipes
• UPVC means unplasticized polyvinyl
chloride, also referred to as rigid PVC pipe.
• The term PVC stands for polyvinyl
chloride, and the term UPVC stands for
unplasticized polyvinyl chloride. PVC pipe
is often used to distribute water that people
aren’t going to drink.
• It’s also used to insulate electric
cables. The UPVC versions often
replace wood when building window
frames and sills. The UPVC pipe
variant also often replaces pipes made
of cast iron for drains, waste piping,
downspouts and gutters.
UPVC pipes
 PE-AL-PE pipes
• Polyethylene-Aluminium-Polyethelene
composite pressure pipes.
• PE-AL-PE Composite Pipe is a new
penetration of pipe engineering and a great
reformation of pipe manufacture. It has
many sharp chemical and physical
properties, with which it enjoys advantages
of both metal pipe and plastic pipe,
• thus has been widely used in cold and
hot water, gas, compressed air, solar
energy and air-conditioned, heating,
medical, foodstuff and chemical fluid
supply pipe systems, of both industrial
and household. It's the best substitute
for all-plastic pipe, copper pipe and
Galvanized pipe.
 Concertina wires
• Concertina wire or Dannert Wire is a
type of barbed wire or rezoned wire
that is formed in large coils which can
be expanded like a concertina. In
conjunction with plain barbed wire and
steel pickets it is used to form military
wire obstacles.
 Polycorbonate roofing
• Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of
thermoplastic polymers containing
carbonate groups in their chemical
structures. Polycarbonates used in
engineering are strong, tough materials, and
some grades are optically transparent. They
are easily worked, moulded and
thermoformed. Because of these properties,
polycarbonates find many applications.
• polycarbonate sheet plastic is clear as glass
and is 250 times more resistant to breakage.
It's 30 times more impact resistant than
acrylic sheet plastic. It's half the weight of
glass, durable, energy efficient and easy to
fabricate. It's the perfect choice for glazing,
skylights, store fronts, covered walkways,
machine guards, displays, and personal
security applications.
POLYMER COATED GI SHEETS
• Galvanised steel is widely used in
construction, automobile, and white goods
sector. Zinc coating is the most effective and
economic means to protect the steel substrate
exposed to atmospheric corroding
environments. It protects the steel substrate by
acting as a barrier against the corrosive
environment and by sacrificially corroding
themselves to provide cathodic protection.
• Protective ability of galvanised (GI)
steel may be enhanced by employing
thicker zinc coatings or by painting the
metallic substrate. Paints improve the
surface life of underlying zinc coating
acting as a barrier against zinc reaction
with environmental agents. Cracks,
crater, and pin holes occurring in the
paint are sealed by corroded zinc
products.
STUDDED TILES (TACK TILES)
• Mostly used for rubber floor tiles.
• Used in gym, trades of stairs etc.
• Item no. 098070 thickness varies from
2 mm to 4 mm with stud range.
Studded tiles
 Membrane curing
• A method of curing concrete usually in
pavements by which a material in liquid
form is sprayed over the exposed surface
shortly after the concrete is finished after
which the material solidifies and becomes
essentially impervious and thus holds the
mixing water in the concrete so that it can
hydrate the cement over a period of time
• curing is to cover the wetted concrete
surface by a layer of water proof
material, which is kept in contact with
the concrete surface of seven days. This
method of curing is termed as membrane
curing. A membrane will prevent the
evaporation of water from the concrete.
The membrane can be either in solid or
liquid form.
• They are also known as sealing
compounds. Bituminised water proof
papers, wax emulsions, bitumen
emulsions and plastic films are the
common types of membrane used.
Galvolume sheet roofing(Item No.109260)
• The alloy coated product nominally contains
55% aluminium, 43.5% zinc and 1.5% silicon
by weight. Applied by the traditional hot-
dipping process, the product is ideal for
applications that require superior corrosion
resistance and heat reflectivity. GALVALUME
is typically required for building construction,
appliances, agricultural equipment and several
non-exposed automotive components.
• The alloy coated product nominally
contains 55% aluminium, 43.5% zinc and
1.5% silicon by weight. Applied by the
traditional hot-dipping process, the product
is ideal for applications that require
superior corrosion resistance and heat
reflectivity. GALVALUME is typically
required for building construction,
appliances, agricultural equipment and
several non-exposed automotive
components.
Thanks