India switching to European automatic train protection system: minister

India is switching from the computer- / microprocessor-based signalling system to the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System based on European Train Control System (ETCS) technology that mitigates safety risk of accidents / collisions due to loco pilot's error of signal passing at danger or over speeding.

It is a proven European train protection technology and deployed extensively by railways the world over and Indian Railways has already operationalised European Train Control system on 342 route kilometres (RKMs), minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is a developmental project being taken on a limited section (250 km) on South Central Railway.

Operational deployment of TCAS on Railways on absolute block signalling sections will be taken up after successful conclusion of the extended field trials and safety certification of system by Independent Safety Assessor (ISA). The minister stated.

To ensure complete arrival of train before granting line clearance and to detect presence of train in a station, 15,342 axle counters have been provided on block sections and station sections over Indian Railways.

A centralised traffic control (CTC) with electronic interlocking and automatic signalling system is being set up on the Ghaziabad-Kanpur route - one of the busiest sections of Indian Railways. This is 410-km long electrified route dealing with 200 trains per day. Its central traffic control centre is established at Tundla station, the minister stated.

CTC System will help in real time monitoring and better management of trains. It provides for remote operation of signals from the centralised traffic control office. The CTC system has been made operational for seven stations pilot section.

Train Management System (TMS) helps in real-time monitoring of trains in the control room. The arrival status of local trains is displayed on indicators installed on platforms in the form of a countdown timer (in minutes) to the train's arrival on the platform accompanied by automatic announcements on platforms.

TMS has been provided on Mumbai suburban section of Western and Central Railway. On WR, it covers section from Churchgate to Virar extending over 60 km covering 28 stations and on CR it covers suburban section from CST Mumbai to Kalyan extending over 54 km covering 26 stations. TMS work is also nearing completion at Howrah on Eastern Railway.

Further, the ministry of railways in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is implementing Real-Time Train Information System (RTIS), which involves tracking of train by placing GPS / GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation System) based devices on locomotives.

In Phase-I, the RTIS project will cover about 2700 electric locomotives in which the GPS device will be installed. This phase is planned to be completed by December 2018. Remaining locomotives will be covered in subsequent phases.

The trials for this system have been done on New Delhi - Guwahati and New Delhi - Mumbai Rajdhani trains on six electric locomotives. A reliable and high level (about 99.3 per cent) of real time reporting of arrival departure timing updates has been observed, which is considered adequate to meet the RTIS requirements.