Railways To Equip Nearly 9,000 Locomotives With IoT Devices For Live Tracking Of Trains With ISRO Help

In a big leap in technology, Indian Railways is collaborating with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for live tracking of trains under Real Time Train Information System project.

The Rs 250 crore project envisages installation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in 8,700 locomotives to track the train position on a real time basis, according to Centre For Railways Information System (CRIS); the Railways software arm.

Railways should lead the change by adopting latest technologies and innovations, said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Inaugurating a seminar on technology organised by CRIS, Vaishanaw said "For rapid transformation of Indian Railways, use of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum computing technology to be prioritized".

The seminar "Reimagining Indian Railways harnessing the power of data analytics for integrated transportation” was held to explore the options of integrating data analytics to transform the railway network and was hosted today by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS).

"Doing away with the manual system completely, the locos would be equipped  with the traffic devices for live tracking of trains and for this Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) has collaborated with ISRO under Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) project," said CRIS MD, DK Singh at the seminar.

It will help the Railways run trains efficiently. Satcom & Satnav based IoT devices are being deployed on the trains.

Till now the devices have been installed in 4,000 locos and 4,700 more locos would be equipped with the system within 15 months, Singh added at the seminar.

Vaishnaw further stated that the country needs rapid change to catch up with the rest of the world and Indian Railways should lead the change by adopting latest technologies and innovations.

Railways Minister also emphasised that this government is clear in its objective for clear focus, intent, flexibility, open mindedness and sense of purpose to do things which are “Desh Ke Hit Mein aur Railways Ke Hit Mein”.

The seminar is a significant initiative that acknowledges the importance of innovation and technology in providing an efficient and reliable transport system.

The integration of data analytics can play a crucial role in transforming the railway network and addressing the various challenges faced by the Indian Railways.

The seminar also intends to provide an opportunity for networking and knowledge sharing among attendees.

Data analytics may provide valuable insights that can help in optimizing various operations of the Indian Railways. It can be used to improve maintenance, enhance the efficiency of the train schedules, and reduce operational costs.

By analysing data, Indian Railways can predict the demand for trains, and plan to provide adequate resources. This, in turn, can help in reducing congestion and minimizing delays.

Data analytics can also play a vital role in enhancing customer experience by providing better services and help in providing an integrated transportation system.

By analysing data, Indian Railways can identify the busiest routes, and can plan better intermodal transportation to ensure efficient and seamless transportation services.

CRIS is working to harness the latest technologies for Indian Railways. Mobile apps for customer convenience, use of cloud technology, data analytics and IoT are areas in which CRIS is actively engaged.