Efficacy of safety devices on railways

LOK SABHA

Technological gadgets such as Anti-Collision device (ACD), Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) are under trials. Vigilance Control Device (VCD) are under fitment in locomotives, in a phased manner.

ACD developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has been tried as a pilot project on 1736 Route Kilometers of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Based on experience on NFR, specifications for ACD have been revised to improve efficacy, reliability and availability of ACD.

Pilot project of TPWS on Chennai Central-Gummidipundi section on Southern Railway has been in use since May, 2008 on 38 rakes in the suburban section.

VCD for eliminating unsafe situations when driver has become incapacitated or loses alertness have been installed in 315 three phase electric locomotives and 160 conventional electric locomotives after conducting trials and evaluation of its efficacy by Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) of Indian Railways. VCDs have also been installed in 1500 diesel locomotives. It is proposed to install this device on the remaining fleet of diesel and electric locomotives in a phased manner.

An improved version of the ACD system to the revised specifications is now to be developed by KRCL for in-service trials on three zones viz. Southern, South Central and South Western Railways, covering 1600 Route Kilometers.

A second pilot project of TPWS for electric loco hauled trains is under installation on Delhi-Agra section of Northern/North Central Railway on nominated locomotives. Trials have been conducted on locomotives and also on empty service rakes, before introduction on trains.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri K.H. Muniyappa in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

AKS/HK/LK/TR