NO: M-29020|62439|2025|Mechanical(HQ)

Dhanbad, Date: 19/09/2025

DGMS APPROVAL NO.-Mech/132209/2025/06

From

Director General of Mines Safety
Directorate General of Mines Safety,
P.O & Distt: Dhanbad - 826 016.

To

YOGESH SURI, RANA SALES & SERVICE PVT LTD, PLOT NO 102, INDUSTRIA AREA, PHASE 1, PANCHKULA
Haryana, Panchkula, PANCHKULA, 134113

Sub:   Regular Approval for use of Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons along Incline No. 2 (Surface to Seam IIIA) at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited.

Sir,

1. Please refer to (i) your online application made vide ID 62439 dated 05/07/2025, (ii) Field Trial Approval vide Mech(HQ)/112209/2022/11 Dhanbad, Dt. 09/11/2022 and subsequent documents submitted on the above subject.

2. I, in exercise of powers conferred upon Chief Inspector of Mines (also designated as Director General of Mines Safety) under Regulation 208 (3) of the Coal Mines Regulations 2017, hereby accord approval for use of Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons along Incline No. 2 (Surface to Seam IIIA) at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited for a period of five years from the date of expiry of Field Trial (i.e. upto 09.11.2029), subject to the conditions mentioned in the letter references Para 1.(ii), Annexures to this letter and the following condition.

          (i) The test reports of alternator and battery box confirming to clause 23 of IS/IEC 60079-0:2017 shall be submitted within three months from the date of issue of this approval.

3. The application for renewal of approval shall be made online at least three months before the date of expiry of this approval.

Yours faithfully,

(UJJWAL TAH) Director General of Mine Safety - (HQ) Date : 19/09/2025

Annexure -A

1. DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF MAN RIDING HAULAGE ENGINE: Every part of the system shall be of good construction, suitable material, of adequate strength and free from visible defect and shall be properly maintained as per IS 17241:2019. Every man riding car by rope haulage system and each of the accessories thereof shall so far as is practicable be constructed of no inflammable material and any inflammable material, if used, shall be shrouded with a substantial metallic covering.

1. Design of haulage engine:

1. The haulage engine shall be located in properly built engine house.
2. The haulage engine shall be firmly connected to a rigid foundation and shall be so designed, constructed and maintained that with the power
3. provided, the raising and lowering of persons can be carried out with ease, reliability and safety.
4. Design of the drum shall be such that its flanges are sufficient to prevent the rope from slipping or coiling unevenly.
5. Every haulage engine shall be provided with adequate guards or fencing.
6. The design of the direct haulage engine shall be such that frame and all the components can be easily dismantled without much difficulty for
7. transportation and maintenance in the mine.
8. There shall be two exits provided at engine driver room.
9. The material specification of haulage drum and gear box shall be as per DGMS approval.

1.2 Mechanical Details: As per statutory and other specific requirements, the direct rope haulage for transporting persons in mines shall conform to the following requirements:

1. Drum diameter in mm minimum 80 times of rope diameter.
2. Drum width in mm minimum 60 times the rope diameter.
3. Flanges diameter in mm minimum 100 times the rope diameter.
4. Rope capacity on drum up to 2000m.

1.3 Maximum Speed: The normal working speed of man riding car shall be fixed by manager in consultation with engineer and original equipment manufacturer and shall not exceed 8.0 km/h (eight kilometers per hour). The speed adjustment arrangement shall be made available at haulage engine. The variation of the speed of man riding car during acceleration or deceleration shall not be such as to give rise to any signs of discomfort to the persons travelling by the system.

1.4 Brakes:

1. There shall be provided with at least two independent brakes.
2. A service brake shall be fitted to haulage engine drum and shall have a braking capacity of 1.5 (one and half) times the static torque.
3. An emergency brake system independent of service brake system shall be fitted and the braking torque shall be 3.0 (three) times the torque resulting from the maximum rope pull.
4. A separate emergency hydraulic shut-off valve shall be provided near to operator, to apply brakes (by draining the hydraulic oil in the circuit) in case of failure of pilot control or other systems, in emergency.
5. The material specifications of brakes shall be as per DGMS approval.

1.5 Safety features in haulage engine:

1. Every engine shall be equipped with a reliable distance indicator showing to the engine driver the position of the man riding car throughout the run and an automatic device that will ring a bell in the engine room when the car is approaching boarding or alighting station, at a distance of not less than two revolutions of the drum.
2. An automatically recording speed indicator, over travel limit switch and over speed trip switch shall be provided in the haulage engine. The overspeed trip switch shall be set at 10 percent more than normal speed of rope.
3. A dead man’s handle shall be provided in order to stop the haulage engine in the event of collapse or incapability of the operator.
4. Slack rope protection shall be provided.
5. Slow banking device shall be provided so that man riding cars will travel at less than 1.5m/sec when it is being hauled at stations.
6. Push button switch arrangement shall be provided to switch off the haulage engine in case of emergency.

1.6 Lowering of men: Lowering of men with controlled speed mechanism by means of regenerative braking or variable frequency drive system or any other equivalent system shall be provided.

2. ROPE AND CAPPEL:

2.1 The wire rope shall be approved by Chief Inspector of Mines and shall conform to IS 1855:2003 or its revised version with minimum size of 26mm diameter, construction of stranded 6x7, galvanized, lubricated with fiber core. The fiber core shall conform to IS 1804:2004 or its revised version.

2.1.1 The minimum breaking load of wire rope shall not be less than 10(ten) times the maximum pulling load by haulage.

2.1.2 Care shall be taken to avoid any twisting or kinking of the rope while unreeling of rope during installation.

2.1.3 The end of the rope shall be securely fixed to drum in such a manner that the rope is not unduly strained. There shall be at least two turns of rope on the drum when the car is at lowest working point.

2.1.4 Spliced rope shall not be used on any direct rope haulage system.

2.1.5 The lubricants used in the wire rope shall not cause any corrosive action on the wire rope.

2.1.6 In-situ Non Destructive Test of all vital components of haulage engine and man raiding cars along with wire rope shall be tested once in every six months conforming to at any Government approved laboratory or a test house accredited by NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) subject to confirmation of its ability to conduct such tests The testing laboratory shall have valid NABL accredited certificate  for the purpose and testing personnel having valid competency level-II certificate for NDT issued from Indian Society for Non – Destructive Testing (ISNT)/American Society for Non – Destructive Testing (ASNT) and test reports certified by Competency level –III person issued from ISNT/ASNT, which may be accepted by Chief Inspector of Mines on the basis of the authenticity/legitimacy of the test house.

2.1.7 Rope capping shall be carried out as per regulation 85(5) of Coal Mines Regulation, 2017 at least once in every 6 (six) months, or if necessary, at short intervals as decided by mine manager. Before every such recapping, a length, including the capping, of at least 3.0(three) meters shall be cut off the rope and same wire rope sample shall be tested at any Government approved laboratory or a test house accredited by NABL may also be accepted, subject to confirmation to its ability to conduct such tests for break load and tensile, torsion & bend test of wires.

2.2 Rope life and discarding factors:

2.2.1 The life of rope shall be fixed by mine manager in consultation with engineer and in any case it shall not be more than 2 years and the norms of discarding of the rope shall conform to DGMS Tech. Cir. 77/1963 or its revised version along with the following additional conditions:

a) Reduction in diameter of the rope is 10% of the original diameter when new, anywhere along the length of the rope.

b) Broken wires with in any one strand exceed 15% of the total no. of wires in that strand.

2.2.2 Conical white metal rope cappel shall conform to DGMS General Order No. DGMS/Mech/Tech.Cir.(Approval) No.01 dated 13.02.2015 or its revised version and shall be used with the man riding haulage rope. The cappel of the rope shall be treated as part of the suspension gear of winding system and shall conform to IS 7587:2006 or its revised version. Bent wire cappel shall not be used with man riding haulage system. The rope shall be secured tightly in ham bone clamp by 16 numbers of M 20 bolts. These bolts shall be tightened with a minimum torque of 220 N-m.

2.2.3 In man riding car system by endless rope haulage, periodicity of changing the position of man riding car clamps on the rope shall be decided by the mine manager in consultation with engineer and original equipment manufacturer. When the position of clamps, screws, clips or other attaching devices are changed, each shall be moved along the rope to new point of attachment at a distance not less than the maximum length of man riding cars and all such movements shall be in the same direction. Adequate number of clamp bolts shall be securely tightened to the rope to prevent slippage from the clamp.

3. MAN RIDING CAR:

3.1 Man riding car shall be made either as per IS 9494:1980 or its revised version.

3.2 Rope anchoring car shall be provided with a head lamp that provides adequate illumination of the road way and track for a minimum distance of 60m (sixty meters). A red lamp at the rear of the man riding car of similar visibility shall also be provided. Head and tail lamps shall be kept ‘ON’ during operation.

3.3 Every car used for man riding shall be provided with safe and ergonomically designed seats and protected on sides and ends to prevent the persons from falling off the cars.

3.4 Provision shall be made for safety connection in between cars by D-shackle coupling. Safety chains may be centre buffer coupling (CBC).

3.5 Automatic over speed track brakes shall be provided and set to operate at 20(twenty) percent above the normal operating speed of the rope.

3.6 Each car shall be provided with hand levers to operate track brakes by persons traveling in cars in case of emergency.

3.7 Each car shall be hydraulically connected to adjacent car by quick release coupling or any other method in order to activate all brakes in all the cars to be applied at a time.

3.8 All man riding cars while carrying men shall not be used to carry materials.

3.9 Sufficient clearance shall be maintained between brake pad and track during operation. The brake shoe pads shall be provided with tungsten carbide nibs.

3.10 Man riding car brakes shall be applied to wheel or rail whichever is possible.

3.11 There shall be provision in the car to carry the injured person on stretcher.

3.12 The number of persons to be transported by man riding car shall be decided by the manager in consultation with the engineer and notice specifying number shall be prominently posted at every station.

3.13 The material specifications of cars shall be as per IS 17241:2019.

4. D- SHACKLE, COUPLING AND SAFETY CHAIN:

4.1 D- shackle, coupling and safety chain shall comply as per DGMS General order No. DGMS/ Mech /Tech. Cir. (Approval) No.01 dated 13.02.2015 or its revised version. The D-shackle, coupling and safety chain shall be treated as part of the suspension gear of winding system and shall conform to IS 7587:2006 or its revised version. The D- shackle, coupling and safety chain material shall be any of the following:

a. 20Mn2 confirming to IS 4432

b. 11Mn2 confirming to IS 1570

c. 20Ni 55 Cr 5Mo 20 to IS 4432

4.2 The factor of safety for both coupling and safety chains shall not be less than 10.0(ten). Safety attachments shall be provided between cars (chain or other suitable appliance) and shall be so fitted that they are not normally subjected to load and shall be adequate strength to sustain any shock load which might be imposed on them due to failure of the main chassis.

5. ROUTE AND PROFILE OF THE ROADWAY:

5.1 The axis of track line shall be straight and of regular gradient.

5.2 The profile of the haulage road way shall facilitate and allow persons to get down easily from cars in case of power failure or due to any other reason.

5.3 The roadway all along the travel and stations shall be specially secured against falls of sides and roof.

5.4 Man holes shall be provided all along the route as per Regulation 92(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) of Coal Mines Regulations, 2017.

5.5 The cars shall be capable of passing over rail track with minimum of 610 mm gauge.

5.6 In order to ensure free movement of passengers, the following distances shall be provided and ensured:

a. Car top portion below the roof shall be sufficient to accommodate and operate the pantograph for signalling purpose, after duly considering the undulations, if any.

b. The clearance between the edge of the man riding car and side shall not be less than 1.0(one) meter.

5.7 Track used for man riding shall be installed and maintained as defined below:

a. It shall be straight and levelled enough such that the travel shall be smooth without any jerks to the passengers.

b. It shall be properly ballasted and provided with proper drains.

c. The sleepers shall be placed at equal distances and the spacing shall be such that the sag of the rails by virtue of movement of the car wheel is minimized.

d. The rail used for the purpose of track shall have a weight not less than 60 lb/yard and shall be of uniform cross section throughout.

e. Special attention shall be paid to rail joints to ensure that no step is formed by the rail ends and every rail joint shall be secured by suitable fish plates fitted with the required number of bolts.

f. Track limiting switches shall be provided to warn the engine driver of an impending over run and an automatic device shall be provided to stop the

haulage engine after the warning has been given.

g. Suitable rope guide pulleys with lubricating arrangements shall be provided at frequent intervals to avoid rubbing of rope with sleepers or floor and such pulleys shall be secured/locked.

6. SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM:

6.1 Pantograph/Radio remote signal system shall be provided in rope anchor car or leading man riding car to provide signals to Haulage driver.

6.2 Separate signalling system independent of pantograph/ radio remote signalling system along the haulage road ways shall also be provided.

6.3 Loud hailing communication system shall be provided along the road ways at a distance of every 200m, in case of below ground coal mines it shall be intrinsically safe and flameproof (wherever required) and shall have valid DGMS approval.

6.4 Adequate precautions shall be taken to ensure that the communication and signal cables do not come in contact with other cables and electrical apparatus.

6.5 Where signal wires are bare conductors, they shall be supported on suitable insulators and the voltage shall not exceed 30V.

6.6 The code of signals shall be used and strictly observed as per Regulation 92(5), (6) & (7) of Coal Mines Regulations, 2017.

6.7 Pre-start warning alarm shall be of audio-visual type and provided at all stations and prominent junctions, to warn the persons. The pre start alarm shall give warning signal for at least 10.0 (ten) seconds before every start of the car movement.

6.8 A visual type warning system shall be provided all along the man riding haulage roadway and kept “ON” during entire operation.

7. BOARDING AND ALIGHTING STATIONS:

7.1. Every station shall be white washed and adequately illuminated.

7.2. Appropriate boarding or alighting signs shall be provided at the approach to each platform.

7.3. At all stations, there shall be marked with restricted entry cautioning the persons not to enter until he has received permission from the train.

7.4. An electrically lighted or red reflector type “STOP” sign shall be provided at each end of man riding haulage run.

7.5. At the end of the man riding haulage, the track is to be covered with suitable material like sand, etc. and provided with suitable buffer at the end to prevent hard landing, in case of uncontrolled movement of the man riding car.

7.6. A suitable arrangement shall be made to inspect the bottom of the under carriage and bogie condition on a horizontal platform with protected roofing. (Repair Shed).

8. ELECTRICAL DETAILS: The motor and other associated electrical controls and switchgear used for man riding car system shall be capable of hauling up and lowering of the persons with smooth controlled speed.

8.1 The electrical equipment for haulages shall be selected in accordance with IS 9559:1980 or its revised version and shall comply as per DGMS.Cir.Tech.13/1982 or its revised version. For use in belowground coal mines, all electrical equipment associated with the man-riding car system shall be of flameproof construction & intrinsically safe or intrinsically safe as per requirement, and such equipment/ apparatus shall comply to relevant applicable standards and duly approved by Chief Inspector of Mines.

8.2 All electric lighting fixtures shall be of flameproof construction. Provided that, the lighting fixtures may be of increased safety enclosure type ‘e’ in first degree gassy mines at locations other than return airways and in-bye of the last ventilation.

8.3 A suitable Alternator and/or Battery with adequate capacity shall be provided in the car as power source to lighting system of the car.

8.4 All live parts shall be properly enclosed to prevent sparks, short-circuits etc, when persons coming into contact accidentally with them.

8.5 The relevant provisions of the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2010 as amended from time to time shall be complied in all matters relating to the installation, operation and maintenance of the equipment.

8.6 The cables shall comply to the provisions of the DGMS Tech. Circular (Electrical) Approval No. 12 dated 25.05.2015 and corrigendum vide DGMS Tech. Circular (Electrical) Approval No. 01 dated 19.02.2016 or its revised version in addition to the special requirements, if any, specifically for safe operation of the equipment.

8.7 All electrical equipment associated with the chair car shall be checked by electrical supervisor of the mine and the observations shall be recorded daily in a bound register kept for the purpose or in electronic form with due authentication.

9. DISTRIBUTION OF CODE OF PRACTICE TO APPOINTED PERSONS: A copy of these conditions shall be handed over to each person appointed to be the Operator or persons responsible for checking, examination or maintenance of the machinery and equipment employed in man riding system.

10. MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION AND TESTING:

10.1 It shall be the duty of the Engineer incharge of the Man-riding Rope Haulage System installation to ensure that the engineering staff properly Supervises-

a. Installation of such apparatus

b. Maintenance in safe working condition and in accordance with all the requirement of the relevant regulations of such apparatus at mine.

10.2 Examination and testing of all such apparatus, before it is put in to, use after installation, reinstallation and repairs.

10.3 It shall be the duty of the Manager to ensure that these shall be, at all times in force, a scheme in respect of the Man-riding Rope Haulage System, for the systematic examination and testing of all such apparatus at the mine to ensure proper maintenance thereof.

10.4 Any such scheme shall specify the intervals, within which all Man-riding Rope Haulage System must be examined and tested, the manner in which the results of every such examination and test may, pursuant to such scheme be recorded in a bound paged book.

10.5 The scheme for each mine or copies thereof, shall be kept at the mine office or at such other places as may be approved by the concerned Regional Inspector.

10.6 Every record of any test or examination made pursuant to any scheme, or a copy of such record shall, until expiration of 3 years after such test/examination be kept at the mine office, or at such places may be approved by the Regional Inspector.

10.7 Every member of supervisory staff shall record, in a book provided for the purpose,

a. A report of any defect revealed by any examination or test of the Man-riding Rope Haulage System, either supervised by him or reported to him, and action taken to remedy such defect and

b. Any other information, which may be considered necessary.

10.8 Every competent person shall, forthwith, report any defect revealed by any examination or test carried out by him to a member of the supervisory staff authorized for the purpose, and the engineer.

10.9 Shift Inspection: At the beginning of every shift, the operator shall inspect and/or test all external parts of the system, the fencing of all appliances, the engine braking system, signalling system, safety devices etc.

a. Regular examination of winding rope shall be done according to Reg. 88(1)(b)&(c) of CMR2017.

b. Examination of brakes of Man-riding Rope Haulage System shall be carried out as per Regulation 88(1)(a)(ii) of CMR 2017

10.10 Weekly Examination:

a. Protective devices i.e. overspeed device, over load, over travel device and signaling shall be inspected by a competent person and a record there of shall be maintained in a bound paged book.

b. Manriding Car repair and examination record shall be maintained in a bound paged book.

10.11 Monthly Examination: The rope shall be thoroughly cleaned at places, and shall be examined by a competent person. A careful examination shall be made of the, circumference and surface condition of the rope for fracture of wires. The result of these examinations including the measured diameter of the rope at the above points shall be entered in a bound paged book.

10.12 Six Monthly Examination:

a. Non destructive Testing of all vital parts like drum shaft, brake path, pins, brake linkages, rope attachment, and anchoring pins of Man-riding Rope Haulage System shall be done at least once in six months.

b. Sample of the rope of at least 3.0(three) meters cut off during recapping shall be tested at any Government approved laboratory or a test house accredited by NABL shall be carried out at least once in six months.

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS:

11.1 Adequate lighting shall be provided at all stations and along the roadway.

11.2 Adequate number of competent persons including fitter, electrician, operator, rope splicer, and supervisors (Electrical, Mechanical & Mining) etc. shall be appointed.

11.3 An engineer shall be authorized to hold charge of man riding car system, and to be responsible for its installation, maintenance and safe working.

11.4 Regular inspections of the system i.e., shift wise, daily, weekly, monthly, half yearly etc., as per original equipment manufacturer manual, shall be carried out by a competent person appointed by the manager of the mine and results are to be recorded in bound page book or in electronic form with due authentication.

11.5 The Performance report of the man riding car system shall be recorded as per Annexure-D and the same shall be kept available at mine office along with test certificates of rope and vital components.

11.6 All fire-resistant high pressure hydraulic hoses shall comply to the general order No. DGMS/Mech/Technical Cir.(Approval)/04 dated 13.02.2015 or its revised version and fire resistant hydraulic fluids shall comply to the general order No. DGMS/Mech/Technical Cir.(Approval)/02 dated 13.02.2015 or its revised version issued by this Directorate.

11.7 All technical circulars/guidelines issued from this Directorate from time to time in the interest of safety shall be complied.

11.8 Shut down procedures shall be followed as per DGMS (Tech)(MAMID)/Circular No. 02 of 2017 dated: 15.06.2017 of this Directorate.

11.9 It is clarified that though above man-riding equipment has been approved for use in mine, it is obligatory on the part of the mine management to obtain permission under Regulation 93(7) of the Coal Mines Regulation, 2017 for use of man riding system.

11.10 This approval is accorded for Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons between entry point of Incline No. II to touching point of Seam IIIA at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited.

11.11 If at any time, any one of the conditions subject to which this approval has been accorded is violated or not complied with, this approval shall be deemed to have been revoked with immediate effect.

11.12 This approval is subject to satisfactory report from concerned Field office, and may be amended or withdrawn, at any time if considered necessary in the interest of safety on the basis of recommendations received from the field office.

11.13 This approval may be amended or withdrawn, at any time if considered necessary in the interest of safety.

11.14 This is being issued without prejudice to any other provision of law that may be or become applicable at any time.

11.15 Please note that the above approval is also subject to the following additional conditions:

1. This approval is for Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons along Incline No. 2 (Surface to Seam IIIA) at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited.
2. If at any time, any of the conditions subject to which this approval has been accorded is violated or not complied with, this approval shall be deemed to have been revoked with immediate effect.
3. This approval may be amended or withdrawn, at any time if considered necessary in the interest of safety.
4. This is being issued without prejudice to any other provision of law that may be or become applicable at any time.

ANNEXURE - B

List of drawings Associated with Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons along Incline No. 2 (Surface to Seam IIIA) at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited

ANNEXURE - C

List of Electrical items associated with Man Riding Rail Car System by Direct Haulage manufactured and supplied by M/s Rana Sales & Services Ltd. for conveyance of persons along Incline No. 2 (Surface to Seam IIIA) at Bicharpur Mine of M/s Ultratech Cement Limited

ANNEXURE – D

PERFORMANCE REPORT OF MAN RIDING MAN RIDING CAR BY ROPE HAULAGE SYSTEM

(For the period, from                       to                      )

Date of Inspection:

Mine:                                                                                     Area:

Name, Date and Signature                                                                                Name, Date and Signature of Agent

of Mine Manager