A GPS-based passenger information system will be installed in the Mumbai and Howrah Rajdhanis from this month, enabling passengers to find out the exact location, speed and arrival time of trains on real-time basis.

GPS receivers are being acquired to be installed and once the installation is completed, the Satellite Imaging for Rail Navigation (SIMRAN) system will be operational in four trains (two rakes each of Mumbai Rajdhani and Howrah Rajdhanis), a senior Railway Ministry official said.

Developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, SIMRAN will replace the manual tracking system by connecting about 8,000 trains and 8,177 stations through GPS across the country in a phase-wise manner.

"Intensive trials are being carried out before installing it in four Rajdhani trains," he said, adding, "One can even track these Rajdhani trains on Internet after the system becomes operational."

Railways has earmarked Rs 160 crore to implement the GPS-based system which aims at providing information to the public through Internet, SMS, call centres and train indication boards at stations.

It will also give information to onboard passengers through the provision of display system inside the coaches.

Currently, to keep track of trains, station masters call up the control room at the divisional headquarters every time a train passes their station. Because of this manually controlled system, the information is sometimes inadequate.

"Railways have already taken the brandwidth from the ISRO and a satellite hub has been created near New Delhi station to receive data," the official said.

As per the plan, Railways is to install the GPS devices in all locomotives and stations to receive dynamic data on train movement through satellite.

Name of the incoming train, speed, time duration and all relevant information required by passengers will be made available automatically once the system becomes operational for all trains.

Digital mapping of 8,177 stations of Indian Railways have so far been done. "All our control offices are now computerised. The system will be utilised for tracking freight trains as well," the official said.

Other advantages of SIMRAN is that locomotive running information shall be available in the server which can be analysed to improve its efficiency.

Train running information like location, speed, direction on real-time basis can be analysed to improve the train running in a particular section.

Digital map of the railway station can also be used for linking various station data, yard information, signal information, city and hospital information which will be useful during any emergency.
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