40 unsafe signals on Mumbai suburban division of Central Railway get relocation nod

According to Rajnish Kumar Goel, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of CR Mumbai division, recent trials of running a train from Thane with a dummy signal placed along a TTC (two track cantilever) proved to be successful. This demonstration was presented to the Railway Board in Delhi, which granted permission to relocate these 40 signals to TTC.

A crucial objective behind this initiative was to enhance signal visibility for train drivers.

Every quarter, a committee makes a report on signal safety. Goel said the 40 signals scattered across the Mumbai section deemed unsafe were identified as part of this report.

Currently, these signals are either positioned at ground level or on gantries. However, the move to shift them to TTC is expected to significantly ease the task for locomotive pilots in locating the signals, thereby eliminating their struggle in identifying them. The CR currently operates a total of 1,850 suburban services, including 66 air-conditioned services, in Mumbai’s suburban section.

Women’s safety

The Central Railway Mumbai division has begun installing emergency talkback systems on trains. At present, 512 of 771 EMU ladies coaches have already been equipped with this system. The remaining coaches will be equipped with emergency talkback systems by March 2024. Additionally, 421 EMU ladies coaches have been furnished with CCTV facilities, and the remaining coaches will be fitted with CCTV systems by the end of this year.

The CR will install CCTV cameras at stations and incorporate video analytics capable of face recognition through RailTel. As part of safety enhancements, panic switches are set to be installed at two points on each platform across 117 stations of the CR.

Train speeds to increase in 2024

The speeds of trains in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are set to be significantly enhanced in 2024. According to Ram Yadav, General Manager of Central Railway, most major technical enhancements concerning track improvements and signaling were nearly finalised. Across three suburban sections, notable speed increases are anticipated.

The train speed between Tilak Nagar and Panvel will surge from the current 33-80 kmph range to a swift 105 kmph. Likewise, trains are expected to operate at 105 kmph along the Thane-Vashi section, an upgrade from the existing range of 18-80 kmph. For the Nerul-Kharkopar route, trains will accelerate from 9-80 kmph to 105 kmph. The Karjat-Khopoli route will also see an increase in train speeds from 15-60 kmph to 90 kmph.

The targeted completion date for implementing these speed improvements on these routes is set for March 2024.