Civil - Sections in the Department

PERMANENT WAY (TRACK)

(a)The Track

Track is the single structure on which the Corporation's name is fashioned RAILWAY. It is equally called Permanent Way. It consists of substructure
- mainly earth of reasonable bearing capacity. On top of this comes the superstructure made up of:- Stone ballast- procured from good quality granite stones processed to a given grain size. Occasionally this could be substituted with good quality laterite.
Sleepers: Made of timber steel or concrete; each having its advantage and short comings.
Rail: Made from the highest quality of steel through a thorough process of quality control.
Fittings
Rail - Rail fittings called Fishplates (with b6lts and nuts)
Rail - Sleepers fittings called clips (of various makes)
Presently Nigerian rail lines are 4332 Km consisting of 3505 routes Km. and 827 Km. of loop and siding lines. It is made up of various rail and sleeper sections on earth and stone ballast formations. Some of the parts are turnouts level crossings, triangles and turntables.

(b) Track Machines and Equipments
A lot of these are still old fashioned; resulting essentially in manual manipulations for the maintenance of track thus making maintenance cumbersome.

(c) Track Labour
Track maintenance is labour intensive since it is still manual. The method adopted, consist of allotting a stretch of track to a gang consisting of a ganger, a sub-ganger and about four to six lengthmen. The gangs are supervised by Technical Officers through to Principal Technical officers. The Engineers in turn plan design and supervise maintenance and new constructions.

(d) Inspection and Maintenance
Inspection of track and structure can be carried out on foot, with pump trollies, Rail Cars, Rail buses, Inspection Coaches and locomotive footplates. The reports of such inspections are passed to the appropriate operative to effect corrections on the anomalies observed during such inspections.

Other Sections Under Permanent Way (Track)
The followings are the other sections under Permanent Way:-

(i) Timber Treatment Depot Responsible for the treatment of track timber in order to prolong their Life span.

(ii) Track Mechanisation Unit
Presently this unit takes charge of repairs of small track tools, though if and when well equipped the responsibilities include track inspection for fault identification, rectification and general regular maintenance. By the time this unit is fully equipped the use of concrete sleepers would be a better option for a more stable track.

(iii) Point and Crossing Unit
Turnout is a special part of the track that involves some precision. It is equally the most expensive unit of the track. This unit takes charge of repairs and replacement of some of the component parts. If fully equipped and staffed this unit can save the Corporation a lot in foreign exchange spending.

(iv) Permanent Way Stores
The Permanent Way Stores receive and Stock Permanent Way materials and tools for issuance to Permanent Way District or sub District officers on production of CRIN approved by Director (Civil) or Deputy Director (Civil).

The stores also supply materials for PXD for the manufacture of points and crossings.
Additional information on the Track
1.1 Track route 3505 km
1.2 Track kilometer 4332km
1.3 Gauge of track 1067mm & 1435mm
1.4 Seaports served by Railway 2 (Apapa & Port Harcourt)
1.5 Angle of crossing 1:8 ½ , 1:10, 1:12, 1:16 (4Nos)
1.6 Seaport to be served by rail but
Under Construction 2 (Warri and Onne)
1.7 Curves - out of the 3505 route kilometers on the N.R.C., 1000 km are on curves of radius ranging from 1,200 metres down to 175 metres.
1.8 The ruling gradient on N.R.C. ie. 2%

WORKS SECTION
Works section is responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of Buildings, Roads, Platforms, Drains, Fences, Warehouses and Water supply.

It is noteworthy that in Railway, the above-mentioned structures are still designed in-house and not by outside consultants as in other parastatals and ministries. Other pre-construction functions like feasibility studies and site investigations &e carried out as and when necessary through outside parties.

During construction through outside parties, the section deals with the contractors by ensuring strict supervision of the work. This involves ordering the contractor to commence work by issuing him Form 'G', draft order to commence work. Having commenced, the Works section ensures that the specification as in the bill of quantities is adhered to by the contractor who is also issued the certificate of completion when the work is completed.

The post-construction function of the Works Section is maintenance and because of our heritage of old buildings and other structures this function has dominated our activities in the Works Section. The structures that are maintained include offices, residential quarters, Station buildings, and Warehouses/Goods sheds. The Works section also carries out maintenance of the estate roads either by direct labour or by contract. Existing drains are kept functional while new ones are built where necessary by the section.

To ensure that there is water in every building is the responsibility of the Works section. Water mains are laid along the major estate roads with sub-mains along the branch roads and the distribution pipes into the respective premises. Plumbers from the Works section ensure sustained flow of water in the pipes through effective maintenance.

The Civil Engineering Drawing Office is an essential part of the Work's Section and is complete with plan printing and plan record sections. Architectural, Track, Bridge and Structural drawings are prepared in the drawing office. The staff of drawing office carry out surveying and setting out for building and track structures. The office is headed by the Chief Technical officer (Drawing) who is answerable to the Assistant Director (Works). He is assisted by various grades of Technical staff.

Works Section is headed by Assistant Director (Works) who is responsible to the Director (Civil) through the Deputy Director (Civil) for the administration of the section. He is assisted by Chief Engineer, Assistant Chief Technical Officer, Principal Technical Officers I & II, Technicians and Craftsmen. While in each District, the Works section is headed by the District Engineer with Principal Technical Officer assisting him and Technicians and Craftsmen under them.

The onus of the design, construction and maintenance of buildings, roads, drains, fences and water supply including all engineering survey in Railway, falls on Works section and through the efforts of the section the heritage of old buildings and structures in the Corporation are still functional in Railway today.

BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES

FUNCTIONS:
The Bridges and Structures Section of the Nigerian Railway Corporation is responsible for the design, drawing, construction and maintenance of all bridges, tunnels, viaducts, culverts, workshops, running sheds, foot-bridges and other steel and concrete structures on the entire railway net work.

Some of the other functions carried out by the section are as follows:-
(i) Functioning as Technical Adviser to the Director (Civil) on matters pertaining to bridges (Steel and Concrete) and other structures.
(ii) Writing out drafting appraisal on International Tenders for Locomotives, Rolling stock and preparing calculations for rail stresses for the approval of Director (Civil).
(iii) Vetting and finalizing CRINS submitted by the sub-sections and outside Parties on matters concerning their general responsibilities.
(iv) Preparing schemes and drawings for all heavy equipment to be installed in Workshops and yards.
(v) Maintaining records of clearances and infringements of moving loads on the entire Railway network. Corresponding with other departments and outside Agencies on matter pertaining to out-of gauge loads especially where alterations are to be carried out and notifying charges to be paid by such Agencies.
(vi) Carrying out routine and periodic inspection and maintenance of all the Bridges, Culverts, Workshops, Running sheds, and all other Steel and Concrete Structures in the entire network system.
(vii) Studying and monitoring of the hydrological flowing pattern of the rivers under the bridges and culverts and finding solution to their damaging effects to the structures.
(viii) Controlling the workings of the bridge workshop KDJ and exercising technical control over the CE (Bridges) and ACE (Bridges) at Ebute Metta and Kaduna Junction respectively.
(ix) Receiving and taking instructions from Director (Civil) and other higher Officers.
(x) Preparing structural calculations for bridges, tunnel, viaduct culverts Buildings, Workshops etc.
(xi) Preparing rail stress calculations for different classes of locomotives.
(xii) Preparing schemes for design and construction of foot-over bridges, Weighing bridges and deep foundations.
(xiii) Preparing stress calculations for bridges and preparing schemes for strengthening of over-stressed bridge girders.
(xiv) Checking design calculations and drawings prepared by outside consultants for proposed schemes to ensure their safety and conformity with Railway specifications.

Administration
The administrative head quarter of the section which is directly under the Director (Civil) is located in the Corporation's Head Quarters at Ebute Metta. The section is headed by an Assistant Director, who is assisted by a Chief Engineer.

The Field and Workshop operational base is located at Kaduna Junction and it is headed by an Assistant Chief Engineer, supported by other Engineers and highly skilled Technologists, Technicians and various Craftsmen.
The operations of the section cover the entire Railway network system.

QUANTITY SURVEYING
The Quantity Surveying Section is the Contract Administration arm of the Civil Engineering Department. Quantity Surveying deals with the conceptualization, planning and execution of development projects. He is the cost adviser as far as Civil Engineering projects are concerned.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Registration of Contractors
- Registration of Contractors are in these categories:-Civil Works and Supply, Mechanical works and supply; Medical supply and Store supply.
(a) Requirements for Registration are as follows
Certificates of Company incorporation with Corporation affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja.
- Evidence of registration with Pharmacy Registration Council of Nigeria for supply of drugs.
- Current three years tax clearance certificate.
- Evidence of registration with value added tax (VAT) Authorities.
- Evidence of employment of at least 1 No. qualified Engineer, Architect, and QS in the company.
- The company profile.

Contract Administration:
(a) Pre - Contract Duties
Preliminary cost estimate/advice Advising on contractual methods
- Advising on contractor selection
- Preparation of tender documents
- Obtaining or negotiating tenders
- Preparation of tender reports
- Preparation of contract Agreements
- Arranging contract commencement.

Post Contract Duties
- Preparation of valuation
- Preparation of Interim Payment Certificates
- Preparation of Variation Orders
- Technical Auditing of contractual claims
- Financial Analysis
- Giving expert evidence in arbitration and contractual dispute
- Preparing and agreeing accounts with contractors/final accounts. -Preparation of 'No claim certificate'.
- Representing the department in Technical committee meeting in other departments.
- Serving as secretary on technical committee on Civil Engineering Tenders.

Application of Due Process Regime in Contractor Section I
Due process is a new policy of Government to democratize the procurement of capital project to enable ordinary Nigerian enjoy the dividend of democracy. It requires the establishment of a Resident Due Process Team (RDPT) in every Government establishment. The RDPT issues due process certificate for every stage of the contract Award process.

For example, due process certification is required for the following;
(i) Project readiness for implementation
(ii) Certification of procurement
(iji) Certification of implementation
The summary of the due process procedure are as follows:
(a) Establishment of a resident due process Team (RDPT)
(b) Issuance of due process certification by the resident due process team after certifying that the contract has complied with the guidelines for contract award process. (No contract can be floated without the due process certificate).
(c) Invitation for pre-qualification of contractors
(i) For contracts above one million Naira, but below ten million notices for pre-qualification must be placed on the official notice Board of the procuring parastatals.
(ii) For contracts above ten million Naira, advertisement must be placed in at least two National Newspapers and or Government gazette.
(d) Establishment of the pre-qualification evaluation committee made up of professionals to examine and report on all pre-qualification document received. (Report (s) should be forwarded to the Resident Due Process Team).
(e) Invitation to bid All qualified/short listed contractors will be issued with the bid document to enable them bid for the contract after paying a non refundable tender fee and bid security fee.
(f) Bid opening and financial evaluation.
(g) Contract Agreement (Contract Award certificate to be issued by the Resident Due Process Team).
(h) Contract Award certificate issued by the Resident Due Process Team to be forwarded to Accountant General of the Federation. Accountant General of the Federation to issue clearance certificate for the payment of mobilization fee.
(i) Certification of works completed (interim payments to contractors).
(j) Finalization of Internal Due Process cycle - submission of records of aggregate certificates, reports, facts and relevant information monthly to the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (BMPIU) for the completion of Due Process cycle for each capital project.

Approved Guidelines For Registration of Contractors

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