Indian Railways—first phase of real-time train information system get commissioned

A Bengaluru-based defence PSU, Bharat Electronics Ltd, has now commissioned the Real Times Train Information System for Indian Railways (RTIS). The RTIS is now in the first phase and will provide real-time train information to Indian Railways.
The new real-time information system for the railways is going to help increase the efficiency of train operations on one hand, while also improving passenger safety to a great deal. More specifically, the RTIS is going to acquire train movement data, which includes the time of arrival, departure, and even run-through timings at various stations during the course of its journey. This will definitely elevate passenger experience by improving the efficiency of railways.

This has been commissioned through the Centre for Railway Information System, and Space Applications Centre, ISRO, will be working as a technical guide on the system.

The RTIS-enabled trains will automatically get plotted in the Control Office Application system of the Railways. This means that there will be no manual intervention, and both train location and speed can be tracked. Overall, the system can help in traffic management, besides improving efficiency. Most importantly, it could help in identifying possible accidents.

Train accidents can dampen the spirit of the railways in India, as it has been recorded that between 2013-18, an average of 110 accidents took place each year, killing almost 990 people. But according to reports, 2019 reported zero deaths from train accidents. Major causes of train accidents in India are collision, derailment, fire, level crossing accidents among others.