Now, a real-time information system for Indian Railways

To increase operational efficiency and enhance passenger safety, state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has commissioned a real-time train information system for Indian Railways. Besides the system provides real-time positional information of locomotives to the railways. It facilitates the automatic acquisition of train movement data, including arrival, departure and run-through timings at all stations en route.

The control chart of trains, which has the system-enabled locomotives, gets plotted automatically in the control office application system of the railways. The train controllers can, without manual intervention, accurately track the location and speed of the system-enabled locomotives/trains. The system not only facilitates smooth control of trains but also optimises traffic management, improves operational efficiency and prevents accidents.

The project involved the installation of the locomotive device, which tracks the location of trains using S-band mobile satellite service of the space agency’s Gsat-6 satellite as well as 4G/3G mobile data service, setting up of MSS hub and data centre with hardware and application software at the centre for railway information systems at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.

The technology of the locomotive device has been indigenously developed. The application software, including the hub network monitoring system, was developed in-house.