MADURAI: In response to an RTI query, Deputy Chief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer and Assistant Public Information Officer Y Backiyalakshmi said that Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) and Train Collision Avoidance System (Kavach) are not available in any block section of the Southern Railway.
In an RTI filed by activist Dayanand Krishna, said that TPWS is a safety system designed to prevent train accidents by automatically applying brakes in certain situations, such as passing a signal at dangerous speeds or exceeding speed restrictions. It acts as a backup for loco pilots and is a crucial part of railway safety.
Similarly, Kavach is important for preventing train accidents and ensuring the safety of passengers. If TPWS and Kavach are available in all the blocks, more trains can be operated, and more passengers can benefit. At present, there are a lot of delays in trains due to signal delays. However, if these two systems are installed, signal delay will automatically reduce.”
He further stated that it is the right time for Southern Railway to convert to electronic interlocking, which is an advanced system to prevent trains from changing tracks.
R Sankara Narayanan, Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU) division coordinator, told TNIE that Kavach was invented by the Indian Railways, and it was well appreciated by the apex court. Both TPWS and Kavach are essential to prevent accidents.
He added, “Though various committee reports gave one of the suggestions to prevent accidents, nothing has been implemented. Southern Railway can make efforts to introduce these systems in a phased manner initially at the Chennai-Gudur and Chennai-Chengalpattu sections, where more trains are running.”
A senior trade unionist from Indian Railways said, “Kavach will prevent only direct collisions. The contract system is a major reason for the lack of safety in railways. Contractors of railways are given to subcontractors.
Hence, they are not responsible like a regular employee. When these contract workers are dismissed by their employer (Contractor), they create a nuisance by tampering with the safety equipment. It is feared that this aspect is also a major reason for safety violations, especially in Signal & Telecommunication, Overhead Equipment in Traction Departments.”
On request of anonymity, an official from the Southern Railway department said that the Ministry of Railways has not allotted funds for implementing these systems.