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Railways to use anti-collision devices

Railways have decided to use anti-collision devices in a big way to check the rising incidents of train collisions in the country besides tightening security in the mails, especially in the North Frontier zone identified as a major accident-prone zone due to subversions.

The device installed in the engine of the train stops the train automatically if it anticipates a collision.

Developed by the Konkan Railways, the ACD has shown encouraging results in preventing collision of trains. It will be used extensively across the country, particularly in the NFR zone comprising places like Katihar, Kishanganj, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Tinsukia, Minister of State for Railways Digvijay Singh said in New Delhi.

Beside this, Indian Railways has also taken steps to tighten security on trains, particularly in the NFR zone, vulnerable to incidents of sabotage or bomb explosion by insurgent outfits, he said. Pilot engines were being run ahead of the mails as a part of the security drill, he said.

Railway security personnel frequently check trains to search for elements of sabotage.

Over one thousand people have been killed in major train accidents in the country in the last 10 years. More than 250 passengers were killed and over 200 injured in a collision between the Awadh-Assam Express and the Brahmaputra Mail at Gaisal in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district last year.

The role of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence and other international subversive elements came to light after that accident, he said adding reports have also highlighted presence of subversive groups in the NFR areas, which frequently target mail trains.

Another major train accident in recent years occurred near Khanna in Punjab where over 210 people were killed when the Jammu-Sealdah Express rammed into the Amritsar-bound Frontier Mail.

On IR taking up the entire security exercise on its own in view of several cases of 'non-co-operation' on the part of state governments in maintaining security on trains, Singh said a committee set up to go into the matter has been holding consultations with the state governments.

On introducing a high-speed Bullet train between Howrah and New Delhi, Singh said a sum of Rs 200 million has been allocated for a feasibility study of the project.

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