Frontier India Current Affairs

Written on May 2, 2008 – 6:56 pm | by FICA |

Ansaldo STS (Union Switch & Signal) is delivering to Indian Railways, first Train Protection Warning System on the Chennai - Gummudipundi line in the Southern Railway sector of Indian Railways. The breakthrough technology reduces the probability of driver error and enhances passenger safety by using the latest European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) technology to warn drivers of changed conditions ahead.

The system’s ability to support incremental technology upgrades is enormously significant as it opens the way for Indian Railways to continue to introduce new technological elements - such as train location and detection technology - as it continues to build upon the safety and efficiency of its rail network.

This is the first time ERTMS technology has been applied outside of Europe and is a significant achievement for Ansaldo STS and Indian Railways.

“It is a privilege to contribute to the modernisation, safety and capacity improvement programs being implemented by Indian Railways to ensure the long term sustainability of this vital infrastructure; and Ansaldo STS is proud to again set the technology standard for India’s rail market.”

This would mirror Ansaldo STS’s successful introduction of Solid State Interlocking (SSI) technology to the Indian rail market in 1987. Ansaldo STS is now the lead supplier of SSI to India’s rail market.

Ansaldo STS was contracted by Indian Railways in April 2005 to survey, design, supply, install, test and commission a Train Protection Warning System for the Chennai Central/Chennai Beach - Gummudipundi section of Southern Railways.

An estimated 60,000 passengers use this service, one of the South’s busiest Sub-Urban services, each day. There are approximately 150 signals that train drivers are required to observe and pass, along the 50km section.

The implementation of the Train Protection Warning System ensures that drivers are prepared for unexpected changes in conditions, are travelling at the correct speed, and are prevented from accidentally passing a red signal.

The Chennai - Gummudipundi Train Protection Warning System was extensively trialled before being inspected and accepted for operation by the Research Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the Commission of Railway Safety.

Since being awarded the INR467.73M contract for the Southern Railway, Ansaldo STS has also been contracted to implement a Train Protection Warning System on the Delhi - Agra section of the Northern/North Central Railway, one of the area’s busiest trunk routes. Work continues on this INR511.71M project.