Challenges Faced By the Indian Transportation Sector in Implementing New Age Technologies

Railways are the most important development from the point of view of the infrastructure in India from 1850 to recent times. Indian railways are the only reliable and feasible means on land for transportation of goods and materials. The Indian Railways network has integrated markets and people across the length and breadth of this huge country. The Indian railway is the fourth largest railway in the world. In the present scenario, Indian Railways has become the leading powerhouse of the Indian economy, which is reflected in the gross domestic product in the latest budget for 2020. According to Vision 2020, a significant focus of railways would be on track enhancement, environmental sustainability, network expansion of railways, capacity creation, train safety, reducing carbon dioxide footprint, high-speed train introduction and technological excellence. This research paper provides a comprehensive resource for those involved in research and reforms related to the modernisation, digitalisation and efficiency of Indian Railways. It focuses on analysis of key factors such as population and total area of a country, electrification of rails and railway expansion that show the importance of railways and helps identify potential fields that need to be addressed in Indian Railways owing to the need of the market and modernisation.

Indian Railways is aware of the need to be up-to-datewith modern technological developments and best globalpractices to cash on the growing opportunity in freight and passenger business and provide the desired level of service to its passengers and customers. In this research paper, an attempt is made to evaluate the overall performance of Indian railways over the last ten years &to study the comparative position of train accidents and measures to improve safety by Indian Railways. The outcome of the study will explain in detail about the efficiency of Indian railways. Indian railways has always shown keen interest in taking advantage of technology to provide safety for the passengers.

In most recent time, the global landscape of supply chain management has experienced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly impacted the routine and smooth operations of different firms in the United States. This paper explains about the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the mitigation of these disruptions and possible ways of improving supply chain security and its efficiency. This research adopted a questionnaire survey involving 281 managers, with the aim to comprehensively examine the current state of AI integration across the U.S. supply chain sector, with focus on some key components like real-time tracking, cost optimization, and risk management. A mixed method approach was adopted for this research, utilizing both inferential and descriptive analyses to unravel insights and trends into the role of AI in enhancing supply chain security. The results indicate that integrating AI, most especially through cost optimization, real-time tracking, and risk management components, emerges as a significant determinant of supply chain security in the United States. Real-time tracking technologies are identified as crucial for monitoring shipments and assets, enabling quick responses to security incidents, and ensuring end-to-end visibility throughout the supply chain. Despite the potential benefits, the study highlights challenges that hinder the widespread integration of AI technologies in the U.S. supply chain. The high cost of AI adoption and the limited availability of skilled personnel are major obstacles. To address these challenges, the paper proposes practical recommendations. Firstly, real-time tracking technologies are recommended to monitor shipments and assets, facilitating rapid responses to security incidents, and ensuring visibility across the entire supply chain. Furthermore, the paper suggests optimizing costs by investing in cost-effective security solutions. This includes leveraging AI for automated monitoring systems and adopting secure packaging measures. These strategies aim to minimize vulnerabilities without compromising security standards, offering a balanced approach to enhancing supply chain security while mitigating the financial implications associated with AI adoption.

The British Crown ruled in Sub-Continent for over two centuries, this was the era of darkness, slavery, the plundering of Indian resources, and ruthless economics & political policies. Indian land remained a consumer society and the producer of raw materials for the British Empire from the eighteen to the twentieth century, whereas, the vast and modern network of railways in India is considered to be Britain's greatest gift to the Indians. Undoubtedly, these railways have been an important means of transportation in India, but the British Colonizers did not build this system of railways in the public interest rather it was laid to serve the colonial interest. This research article identifies Britain’s strategic and economic interests in building railways in India. Construction of railways in India began in 1850 and European companies had been awarded contracts to build railway tracks, in return for the contracts, the companies were guaranteed five percent investment security. The companies were also given access to free land for 99 years and millions of pounds in fines were paid to the companies from the Indian exchequer for non-payment of guaranteed income. The main purpose of building the railway was to speed up the export of cotton, jute, iron, minerals, etc. from India to European countries, while from a strategic point of view, military equipment and supplies were also transferred by rail to military bases across India. This research paper explores how the railway track was built keeping in view the importance of military barracks. Under the British colonial policy, European companies invested heavily in the railways, but during 200 years of British rule, India's industrial growth rate fell from 3% to 10%. All the agreements made by the British colonizers with the railway companies were unilateral. The agreements provided financial benefits from the Indian treasury to companies. This research also reveals that India's railway network was built by the government through private companies, which included European capitalists and retired officers of the colonial army, who were having control over the London-based secretary of state of India. These companies were so powerful, that whenever the Government of India complained of a breach of contract and tried to end it, it was the Secretary of the state who rejected the decisions of the Governor-General of India. On the other hand, the expense for the construction of railways was £15000 more per mile than it was in the United States and Europe.

There has been a paradigm shift in the functioning of global supply chains, particularly in thepost-pandemic era. This shift is characterized by the convergence of technology. deployment, geopolitical dynamics, and an increased awareness of environmental and social responsibilities. These transformative changes compel businesses to navigate a complex. web of challenges while simultaneously creating many opportunities for global supply chains. This includes delegating responsibilities to the supplier side, empowering suppliers, and promoting digital supply chain networks. Ongoing trade tensions between major economies, such as the United States and China, have resulted in fluctuations in global logistics patterns. Alterations in tariffs and trade agreements impact shipping routes, transportation costs, and the overall flow of goods. Consequently, supply chains must focus on end-to-end supply chains originating from low-cost sources to withstand unforeseen events like black swan occurrences and geopolitical and trade wars. The pandemic has underscored the critical importance of building resilient supply chains. Many firms reevaluate their supply chain strategies, emphasizing diversification to mitigate risk. This involves reassessing suppliers, exploring alternative sourcing options, and increasing safety stock levels. Geopolitical uncertainties and disruptions have prompted reconsidering global sourcing strategies, with reshoring and nearshoring gaining prominence. Companies seek to mitigate risks associated with distant and complex supply chains by bringing production closer to target markets, enhancing responsiveness, reducing lead times, and fortifying supply chain resilience amid uncertain business conditions. From the traditional supply chain model, there is a continuous effort to integrate information technology to transform value streams and increase processes' transparency. Blockchain is playing a significant role, from tracking the provenance of raw materials to reducing transaction fraud. This technology fosters a new level of trust among supply chain partners, safeguarding against potential disruptions and reinforcing the integrity of the entire supply chain ecosystem. These rapid transformations amid uncertain conditions have prompted a reevaluation of supply chain resiliency with a greater focus on risk mitigation strategies. In global logistics, owning ships and manufacturing/leasing containers for extended periods have become the guiding principles. The recent Brexit has also impacted global transport's European and UK legs. The European industry is grappling with significant shortages of resources, including drivers and trained supply chain manpower, affecting last-mile delivery and land transportation in numerous geographies. The growth of e-commerce has significantly influenced supply chains, leading to innovations in last-mile delivery solutions. Companies are investing in warehouse automation, drone deliveries, and other technologies to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding e-commerce market. x Furthermore, a seismic shift toward sustainability reshapes the global supply chain landscape. Businesses recognize the imperative to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns. Initiatives to reduce carbon footprints, optimize transportation routes, and embrace ethical sourcing practices are becoming integral components of supply chain strategies. Sustainability is no longer merely a corporate buzzword but a critical factor in ensuring long-term viability and meeting the expectations of socially conscious consumers. Overall, global supply chains are undergoing significant transformation driven by technological innovation, environmental consciousness, and a commitment to building resilient networks. Businesses that embrace these trends are not only adapting to the challenges of today but are also positioning themselves to thrive in the dynamic landscape of tomorrow. The key to success is navigating change, leveraging technology, and building sustainable businesses.

Background The availability of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing technology and platform has been widely used in the study of transportation. It includes all three modes of air, water, and land. This review aims to determine the importance of SAR remote sensing technology in a specific mode of transportation focus area. Methods For this reason, an extensive literature review was conducted. This review used the Web of Science, the IEEEXplore, and the ScienceDirect database. The systematic search strategy was developed for query-related research papers. The rules were then proposed to filter more related research papers. Then the selected papers were classified into five classes (mode, container, infrastructure, geographic distribution, and pattern of publication). Finally, a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted. Results Many studies have been done in the last three decades for mode transportation. Based on the mode of transportation and its container, the water mode of transportation and ship were the most studied. It is due to the contrast differences between the ship as the detected object and the sea as the background. While based on the infrastructure the airport was the most studied object, followed by the railway and harbour. Most of the studies on using SAR as the mode of transportation were conducted in the northern part of the equator. Currently, neural networks and deep learning algorithms are introduced to detect the mode of transportation using SAR remote sensing datasets. Conclusion Future research is expected to detect ships in a more heterogeneous background. More studies in moving object detection using SAR are also expected in the future.

The speed of change in Internet Technologies continues to be impressive and the current “Future Internet” based society increasingly relies on software at all levels. Nevertheless, software systems continue to suffer from aging symptoms caused by the inherent factors of the software modernization process: inevitable; unpredictable; costly; difficult; time- and resource-consuming; poorly supported by tools, techniques or formalisms; poorly understood and maintained; undervalued in traditional software development processes, etc. Furthermore, current technological and business innovations (such as Cloud Computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) concepts) are changing the way in which software is designed, developed, tested, delivered and consumed. All this means that new requirements, never seen before in software development, have to be faced (scalability, multi-tenancy support, usage monitoring, security, SLA compliance, etc.). These challenges are even greater when adapting previously developed software to this new landscape. Different approaches (reverse engineering, ADM, or service-oriented-architecture modernization) have to be analyzed depending on the source language, architecture, target market or available resources. As a result, the complete software life cycle, from requirements to runtime and delivery, has to be re-adapted to the new technological and business conditions, needs and challenges, thus increasing the need of advanced means to support software evolution and adaptation as a key value for the next-generation service-based software modernization. One particular example of complex system modernization is the exposure of legacy systems as SaaS. Model-driven techniques have been used for several years to cope with the challenge of transformation of legacy systems as SaaS. Regardless of the positive features of these techniques, for legacy systems there are many challenges such as are the availability of architectural models describing the system (typically unavailable for legacy systems), the ability to transform the original system into new ones compatible with targeted infrastructures and frameworks, and the support for adaptive deployment. All these features are particular relevant when deploying legacy applications as SaaS on the Web, for instance using different Cloud offerings. Desirable solutions are those that can automate the transformation of existing legacy systems that require being transformed into modern ones exposed as services (SaaS) compatible with modern technology frameworks. This keynote will present the challenges and needs, as well as the results obtained so far in this novel architecture and business model based on the cloud.

The arrival of Industry 4.0 transformed and reshaped manufacturing, and the logistics industry is not excluded. As such, there is a need to explore the influence of this latest technological innovation on industries with a focus on logistics providers; this research examines the impact of Industry 4.0 on logistics providers' supply chain management. Using qualitative analysis of secondary sources, this research identifies the key relevance of Industry 4.0 technologies to logistics providers while assessing their adoption and exploring their impact on supply chain performance. Through the series of examination of secondary sources, it was revealed that Industry 4.0 components such as IoT enable real-time tracking, reducing lead times and improving customer service. AI, on the other hand, helps optimize routing and scheduling while also enhancing efficiency. Nevertheless, the industry 4.0 implementation into the logistics provider supply chain is not without challenges; the challenges evidenced through the research include data security, interoperability, and workforce skills. This study recommends investments in technology and skills, data security measures, collaborative organizational structures, agility, change management, and benchmarking to navigate the transformative landscape of Industry 4.0 in logistics supply chain management.

For past few decades, supply chain optimization has mainly focussed on cost minimization, reduction in inventories, and utilization of assets, which has diluted the flexibility to absorb disruptions in the supply chain. Almost the entire supply chain, starting with manufacturers followed by distributers, wholesalers, retailers and finally the consumers, has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Selecting a supplier is a very difficult task in the prevailing situation, unless all the needs are identified and analysed thoroughly considering the end product's specifications. Although few research papers are available on the applications of knowledge‐based systems for supplier selection, none of them has considered factors that address the issues related to global disruptions, such as COVID-19. Therefore, in this work, an application is designed in Visual BASIC 6.0, which includes not only the traditional economic, social and environmental criteria, but also the factors that play an important role in selecting an alternative supplier in the existing COVID-19 pandemic. In the current research work, the criteria weights are derived and consequently the VIKOR (Vlse Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Resenje) method is employed to evaluate the overall performances of suppliers. To showcase the pertinence of this developed software prototype based on the VIKOR method, an example is given at the end.

Mass customization can be approached from many points of view. When the focus is centered on the order acquisition and on the fulfillment process, the recourse to a computer support system, called Product Configurator, is widely adopted. To use it as a support to the design and the development of new products is a challenging application, seldom implemented in current industrial systems. Here, concepts taken from object programming are applied: namely the hereditariness of the class attributes by the children classes. The aim is to implement a hierarchic approach to the customization of the product with the advantage of a thorough applicability of postponed operations along the entire supply chain. In the work the conceptual framework and the application issues of the hierarchic Product Configurator are detailed. In order to evaluate the advantages (simplicity, flexibility and quickness) and the drawbacks (explosion of varieties and difficult stock minimization) of this methodology, it has been applied to case studies taken from production.

In this paper we investigate the interplay between operational and financial decisions within the context of a two-echelon supply chain. A retailer purchases a single product from a supplier and afterwards sells it in the retail market to a random demand. The retailer, however, is budgetconstrained and is therefore limited in the number of units that he may purchase from the supplier. We study two alternative forms of financing that the retailer can use to overcome the limitations imposed by the budget constraint. First, we consider the case of internal financing in which the supplier offers financial services to the retailer in the form of a procurement contract. The type of contracts that we consider allows the retailer to pay in arrears a fraction of the procurement cost after demand is realized. Second, we consider the case of external financing in which a third party financial institution (e.g., a bank) offers a commercial loan to the retailer. Our results show that the performance of the entire supply chain can be severely affected by the lack of financing and that it is in the interest of both players to find ways to finance the retailer’s operations. We also show that, for the most part, both the supplier and the retailer (and the entire supply chain) are better off by using internal financing rather than by relying on external financing. From the supplier’s point of view, we show that the value of offering internal financing decreases with the size of the retailer’s initial budget. This is despite of the fact that the risk of the retailer defaulting on his contractual obligations decreases with his initial budget. Interestingly, from the retailer’s standpoint the value of internal financing is non-monotonic in his budget and there is an intermediate value at which his expected payoff is maximized.

Maintaining legacy system to meet continual changing user and business needs is difficult. However organization must consider modernizing these legacy systems to remain viable. Variety of solutions is available for legacy system modernization. Reaching a decision about how to evolve a legacy system cannot be made spontaneously; rather it requires understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each modernization technique. Over the past few years reengineering has emerged as a popular modernization technique. Decision about when to evolve a legacy system through reengineering cannot be made spontaneously; rather it should require risk assessment of legacy application from system, managerial and technical point of view. We present a decision driven risk assessment framework ReeRisk that examines system, managerial and technical domain of legacy system in accordance with requirements of target system. The result of ReeRisk framework is used to take decision about when evolution of a legacy system through reengineering is successful.

After globalization, service quality has assumed greater significance in rail transport owing to rail passengers’ expectation of improved service quality in Indian Railways (IR), as well as existence of keen competition from the road transportation sector. Service quality is a business management term used to indicate achievement in service. Usually, service quality yields comfort to the passengers; it would delight them when the passengers’ perception of service quality exceeds their expectations. In this context, service quality comes under the scanner of a comparison of passengers’ expectation with performance of Madurai Division of Southern Railway (SR) Zone of Indian Railway. This research paper is an outcome of the present author’s research project sponsored under ICSSR’s Senior Fellowship.

Abstract— Mishandling of exceptional conditions is ranked as 10 in the OWASP Top 10 list in 2025, consisting of 24 sub-vulnerabilities. Web applications fail to predict, identify, and react to an unusual behavior of an application, revealing sensitive information in the form of a stack trace or error handling. Which is prone to security vulnerabilities like server crashes, outages, and sometimes a DDOS attack. Since these vulnerabilities expose sensitive information for attackers in gaining attacked system information, when exploited, this may cause serious reputational damage to the organization. In this research paper we will be talking about real-time test cases and possible mitigation methodologies. We will discuss possible remediation techniques that can be adopted by the developers when developing the product. Index Terms—OWASP, error handling, exception handling, web application vulnerability, vulnerability exception

This review systematically analyses and classifies research and review papers focusing on discrete event simulation applied to wood transport, and therefore illustrates the development of the research area from 1997 until 2017. Discrete event simulation allows complex supply chain models to be mapped in a straightforward manner to study supply chain dynamics, test alternative strategies, communicate findings and facilitate understanding of various stakeholders. The presented analyses confirm that discrete event simulation is well-suited for analyzing interconnected wood supply chain transportation issues on an operational and tactical level. Transport is the connective link between interrelated system components of the forest products industry. Therefore, a survey on transport logistics allows to analyze the significance of entire supply chain management considerations to improve the overall performance and not only one part in isolation. Thus far, research focuses mainly on biomass, unimodal truck transport and terminal operations. Common shortcomings identified include rough explanations of simulation models and sparse details provided about the verification and validation processes. Research gaps exist concerning simulations of entire, resilient and multimodal wood supply chains as well as supply and demand risks. Further studies should expand upon the few initial attempts to combine various simulation methods with optimization.