Sam Pitroda panel suggests likely to overhaul of railway's communication

Source: ET, 26, February, 2012

NEW DELHI: The much awaited Sam Pitroda committee report on rail modernisation is expected to stress for complete upgradation of railway's communication system and call for a centralised train monitoring system right from Rail Bhavan in the capital.

In the report which would be presented on Monday, the committee could also suggest a dual-track system technology to figure out the track occupancy and mobile train radio communication (MTRC) for seamless communication between loco pilot and control room in major trunk routes. Currently the MTRC is operational only in 3,000km.

The Pitroda committee, appointed by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi in last September, is also likley to recommend an organisational transformation to carry out the modernisation drive.

The committee has also sought for a substantial hike in Gross Budgetray Support to sustain the modernisation drive.

Focusing on the need for modern signalling technologies for maximising track utilisation and high speed operation with safety, the Pitroda committee is expcted to highlight the drastic need to upgrade the prevailing system.

Taking into account the need for huge fund required for undertaking modernisation drive, it could also suggest commercialisation of surplus land to generate additional revenue for railways.

Trivedi has maintained that existing infrastructure in railways has outlived its utility and there is strong need of upgradation.

"The present railway system has outlived its utility. We are in some kind of Victorian age as far as the railways are concerned. Signalling is archaic. We have to take a big leap to embark upon a new generation," he had said.