Indian Railways is planning a big upgrade to its train control system, which has been in place for over 100 years. This change aims to make train travel safer, faster, and more efficient across India’s massive railway network, the fourth-largest in the world.
A new plan is being made by the Railway Board to introduce a modern, tech-based system that will help in better managing train operations and traffic. The goal is to reduce delays, prevent accidents, and improve speed — especially on routes with heavy freight and high-speed trains.
What’s Changing?
- New Command Centre: Indian Railways will set up an integrated command centre where all departments can work together.
- Better Decision Making: The current manual and isolated way of managing trains will be replaced with smart systems that can plan routes, manage traffic, and respond to emergencies quickly.
- Less Pressure on Staff: This system will help train controllers deal better with the increasing number of trains.
The Railway Board is studying systems used in countries like Japan, Germany, Russia, and France. However, since India’s railway system is more complex, with long freight trains and various types of coaches, it needs a custom solution.
This reform gained importance after several recent train accidents, which showed how outdated the current system is. A special committee has been formed to suggest improvements.
Chandan Chaturvedee, a retired chief controller, mentioned that the traffic control department has long been ignored and lacked staff. He believes these changes will finally bring the attention and support this important department deserves.
