Railways launches satellite-based system to monitor train movement

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All trains, including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto, will be monitored by a satellite-based navigation system by next year as part of the Railways' effort to provide accuracy about their movement.

"We have launched Satellite Imaging for Rail Navigation (SIMRAN) as a pilot project for 18 pairs of important trains which provides precise location of the trains through interactive mode on mobile phones, laptops, thereby eliminating the need for telephone inquiry," Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal said in a seminar here.

Currently the information about the train movement is manually monitored which lacks accuracy. SIMRAN records movement of trains, including exact location and speed, on real time basis.

Mittal said railways have plans for installing SIMRAN in all trains, except suburban and local trains, in the next 18 months.

Referring to Train Protection Warning System, Mittal said with the approval of this system on a stretch of 3,300 km to cover the entire high density route, a major step has been taken towards train's safety.

He further pointed out that provision of Internet in running trains, extension of optical fiber cable (OFC) over the entire rail route, IP based train control communication and replacement of overhead alignment with underground cables/OFCs, are the measures being taken to improve services to passengers, improve reliability of the communication system and improve safety and capability of the transport system.