Simran

Indian Railways Launches Real Time Train Tracking Service

Ravi P. Agrahari (Science & Technology)

We earlier covered Indian Railways’ plans to launch Baby Simran project (SIMRAN stands for Satellite Imaging for Rail Navigation) that involves digital mapping of stations.

The Rs. 100 Crore project, in partnership with IIT Kanpur enables passengers to know the exact position of a train by sending an SMS. The GPS device will help tracking down the exact location of the train and also monitor the train’s speed.

The project Simran is now live (SIMRAN) and user gets train position by send SMS to any of the following mobile numbers.

SIMRAN: Data Available

The data this service offers is:

-Train Speed- Closest Station , Next Stop.- Train status (Late/Before Time/Approaching). real_time_trains

• SIMRAN technology (a GPS-based system) jointly developed by IIT-Kanpur and RDSO would go a long way in reducing train accidents at unmanned crossings. If used in roadways buses, passengers would help the passengers in knowing the location of the bus. The gangmen, while repairing the railway tracks, would also know about the arrival of the trains, thereby leaving no chance for mishap.

• IIT-Kanpur director SG Dhande said that SIMRAN technology could be used for various purposes. He expressed happiness that it will go a long way in benefiting the society.Explaining the function of SIMRAN technology in roadways buses, Dhande said: "The passengers at bus stations remain a harried lot. They never come to know about the location of the bus. This technology could be highly useful. We have sent a proposal to the state government and the talks are on. If the proposal is accepted, we will transfer this technology to Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation," he said.

• SIMRAN would also help in reducing the cases of collision of trains. Dhande said that at unmanned crossings, a loud buzzer would blow when a train would be nearing. The railway gangmen would come to know through a buzzer alarm that would beep on a device that they would have. Thus alerting them and averting the chances of accident.

• Dhande informed that SIMRAN technology would be installed on around 1000 mail and express. The technology would prove to be boon for the passengers of long distance trains. The need of SIMRAN in the short distance trains is not required.

• This facility was launched by minister of state for railways Dinesh Trivedi in New Delhi on Wednesday. As of now the technology is installed in around a dozen trains. It would be installed other passenger and goods trains later.

Thank you