Western Railway implements new communication system to be operated from its central control room; motormen call increased monitoring ‘unfair’
The communication system will be important particularly during the monsoon when commuters get stranded on trains for long hours. File pic
Western Railway commuters will now get updates about train delays and track-related incidents in real time, with all its 100 trains going live on a new communication system.
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The Tetra-based Mobile Train Radio Communication will be operated from WR’s central control room. It has a combination of cameras and microphones and can record digital data for up to 90 days.
The heightened monitoring, however, has not gone down well with motormen who feel they will now be watched even on their smallest move. While they call it “unfair”, railway officials said the system will go a long way in improving communication.
“Earlier, communication was possible between a motorman and the station master, who used to communicate with the central control room and update about the train position. With this new mode of communication, the motorman will not need to interact with the station staff, but can directly communicate with the central control room. This will ensure faster communication and real-time updates,” WR General Manager A Kansal said.
The communication and alerts will be important during the monsoon and other times when passengers get stranded on trains for long hours. There have been instances of the railways seeking the help of the National Disaster Response Force to rescue stranded passengers. “During such times, we can communicate immediately with commuters with real-time updates,” an official added.
The dependence on mobile phones is not a reliable method in running trains as there is signal drop in some section, said an official explaining the rationale behind moving to the new system. “During monsoon, the network is always an issue. This is where the Mobile Train Radio Communication will step in and provide reliable communication between guard/motormen and controllers,” he said.
Each WR train can now be communicated with individually or a broadcast call can be made to all local trains from the control room. The calls can also be customised to address a particular set of trains or even a dynamic group.
100
No. of trains covered under the system
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