Signal & Telecommunications Department
1.Role
Signal &Telecommunication department plays a vital role in Safe and Punctual running of trains at maximum permissible speed and productive utilization of Track, Rolling Stock (Coaches & Wagons), Locomotives and Manpower deployed in train operation by making the Signalling and Control communication systems available 24x7. The department contributes towards the passengers’ security and satisfaction by providing Surveillance and Audio – Visual Passenger Information systems at stations. Detailed role in the field of Signalling and telecommunication is as under.
1.1 Signalling
vProvision and maintenance of Train Movement Control system at stations and between the stations for Safe & Punctual train running.
vOptimum utilization of line capacity
vManufacturing of specified signaling items in workshops
vIn house Training of staff and supervisors
1.2 Telecommunication
vProvision and maintenance of Passenger Information System (Train and Coach Information Boards and Public Address and Announcement systems).
vProvision and maintenance of Video Surveillance System at station, Ticket Counters and Reservation Counters to enable the Passengers’ Security in railway premises.
vProvision and Maintenance of Telecommunication infrastructure for:
ØVoice and Data communication among offices and work centers
ØDriver, Guard and Station Master wireless communication
ØAccident site communication through satellite
ØPassenger Reservation System (PRS)
ØUnreserved Ticketing System (UTS)
ØFreight Operation Information System (FOIS)
ØParcel Management System (PMS)
ØCrew Management System (CMS)
ØCoaching Operating Information System(COIS)
ØManagement Information System(MIS)
ØManagement of Railways Corporate Wide Information System (RAILNET)
ØFree internet through Wi-Fi at stations
1.3 Organisation:
| vPrincipal Chief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer (PCSTE) is the head of the Signal and Telecommunication Department in the zonal railway for all matters in the department. . vChief Signal Engineer (CSE) and Chief Communication Engineer (CCE) assist PCSTE on signalling and telecommunication policy matters. vChief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer (Planning) assist PCSTE on signalling plans, design and drawings of signalling infrastructures. vHe is further supported by Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer (Projects) and Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer (Construction) for execution of signalling and telecommunication works in the field. vSenior Divisional Signal and Telecommunication Engineers (Sr. DSTEs) are the heads of the S&T department at divisional level vDy. Chief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer (Dy. CSTEs) are the field unit heads for execution of S&T works. |
1.4 System Overview:
At a Glance:
| S. No. | Description | Population (Nos.) (as on 31.03.2025) |
| A | Signalling | |
| 1 | Total Block Stations | 595 |
| 1.1 | Panel Interlocking (PI) | 302 stations (321 installations) |
| 1.2 | Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) | 04 |
| 1.3 | Electronic Interlocking (EI) | 289 stations (310 installations) |
| 1.4 | Others | Stations: Nil Installations:01 (KZJ/MC-1 & 2) |
| 2 | Total Block Sections | 633 |
| 3 | Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) in Block sections | 59 block sections |
| 3.1 | AutomaticBlockSignalling (ABS) in length | 476.47 Route Km |
| 4 | Block Sections with Intermediate Block Signaling (IBS) | 127 |
| 5 | Block Stations with Double Distant Signals | 230 |
| 6 | Block Sections with Block Proving Digital Axle Counters | 541 |
| 7 | Level Crossing Gates (Manned) | 1084 |
| 7.1 | Interlocked LC Gates | 780 |
| 7.2 | Non- Interlocked LC Gates | 304 |
| 8 | Stations with LED Signals | 595 |
| 9 | Stations with Integrated Power Supply (IPS) systems | 595 |
| 9.1 | Stations with Solar Panel based Power Supply systems | 142 |
| 9.2 | Level Crossing Gates with Solar Panel based Power Supply systems | 124 |
| 10 | Dataloggers | |
| 10.1 | Stations with Dataloggers | 595 |
| 10.2 | Intermediate Block Signals with Dataloggers | 127 |
| 10.3 | Level Crossing Gates with Dataloggers | 373 |
| 11 | Electric Point Machines at stations | 9833 |
| 12 | DC Track Circuits at station (locations) | 19,527 |
| 14 | Block Instruments | |
| 14.1 | Solid State Electronic Block instrument | 63 Block Sections+ 28 Bi-Directional Lines |
| 14.2 | Block Panels with Digital Axle Counters | 261 Block Sections+ 24 BI-Directional Line |
| 14.3 | SGE Double Line Block Instruments | 205 Block Sections |
| 14.4 | Twin Single Line Daido Block Instruments in double line | Nil |
| 14.4 | Single Line IRS Block Instruments | Nil |
| 14.4 | Single Line Daido Block Instruments | 32 S/L Block Sections+ 4 Bi-Directional LInes |
| 15 | Automatic Train Protection System by means of Indigenous Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) | 265 Route Km by RDSO+ 1200 RKm by Zone |
| 15.1 | Station Equipped with Automatic Train Protection System by means of Indigenous Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) | 26+111 |
| 15.2 | Locomotives Equipped with Automatic Train Protection System by means of Indigenous Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) | 160 locos+ 45 EMUs |
| 15.3 | Level Crossing Gates Equipped with Automatic Train Protection System / Approach Warning System | 16 |
| B | Telecommunication | |
| 1 | Stations Equipped with Passengers Information Systems | |
| 1.1 | Train Indication Boards | 140 |
| 1.2 | Coach Indication Boards | 108 |
| 1.3 | Public Address system | 433 |
| 1.4 | GPS clocks | 437 |
| 1.5 | Wi-Fi facility for Internet access | 577 |
| 2 | Stations Equipped with Passengers Security System | |
| 2.1 | CCTV based Surveillance Systems | 58 |
| 3 | Stations Equipped with Passengers Amenities | |
| 3.1 | Unified Ticketing Network (UTN) Locations {UTS/PRS} | 675 |
| 3.2 | Unified Ticketing Network Channels {UTS/PRS} | 1185 |
| 4 | Voice and Data Communication Systems | |
| 4.1 | 25 Watt VHF sets at stations/ locations for Train Traffic wireless Communication | 839 |
| 4.2 | 5 W Hand Held VHF sets | 15078 |
| 4.3 | 6 Quad Cable based communication system for Block, Level Crossing gate, Emergency Communication | 6600.41 RKms. |
| 4.4 | Optical Fibre cable(OFC)based communication system | 6509.41 RKms. |
| 4.5 | BSNL Telephones at Way Stations | 403 |
| 4.6 | Number of CUG sim's(Airtel+Jio) | 83,977 |
| 4.7 | Railway Telephone Exchanges for Inter and Intra Railway Internal communication | 103 |
| 4.8 | V-SAT Communication for Accident Relief Trains (ARTs) | 6 |
| 4.9 | Satellite Phones for Accident Relief Trains and Accident Relief Medical Vans | 22 |
| 4.10 | V-SAT Communication for Weigh Bridges, PRS, UTS and FOIS applications | 4 |
| 4.11 | Communication Backbone for Freight Operation Information System (FOIS) locations | 265 |
| 4.12 | Communication Backbone for Freight Operation Information System (FOIS) Channels | 379 |
| | | |
A Glimpse of Modern S&T Equipment’s over the Zone.
1. Panel Interlocking (PI):
Relay based Panel interlocking is a signalling system, which assures the best standard of safety and eliminates the accidents arising out of human errors and provided for smaller station yards.
2.Route Relay Interlocking (RRI)
Route Relay Interlocking is provided at major junctions and yards, where large numbers of train movements are required and available at four major junctions’ yards, viz. Vijayawada Jn., Kazipet Jn., Secunderabad Jn. and Dornakal Jn. in South Central Railway.
3.Electronic Interlocking (EI)
South Central Railway has adopted the high reliability state of art of interlocking technology in the form of computer controlled interlocking and the first system was commissioned at Kavali station on Vijayawada division on 10.07.1994.
4.Safety at Level Crossing Gates:
Level Crossing Gates in the station area and important gates in the block section are controlled by the signals. Such gates are called interlocked LC gates and enhance safety of the road users as well as trains. Telephone communication at level crossing gates is a safety tool to ensure the closure and opening of gates at appropriate time.
5.LED Based Signals:
High reliability LED Signals give advanced information of section ahead to the driver for appropriate control of the train.
6.Train Collision Avoidance System:
A- M/s MEDHA
B- M/s KERNE
C- M/sHBL
Trial of upgraded KAVACH Version 4.0 has been started in Sanathnagar -Lingampalli Section w.e.f Dec 2022 (TDC: Aug2023).
CONCEPT DIAGRAM OFTCAS
3. TCAS –Amelioration:
Indian Railways have taken policy decision for extensive implementation of TCAS over IR Network and committed for expeditious roll out. Currently RDSO is working on proving interoperability of TCAS with global ATP systems like ETCS Level- 1/Level-2 and up-gradation of TCAS to have additional features like working on LTE communication bearer, adhering of TSR (Temporary Speed Restrictions), working without lineside signals in automatic signalling sections, Direct interfacing with EI, CTC/TMS etc. to make the TCAS system a world class and premium export product in the field of modern Railway signalling system and to achieve the challenging organizational goal of “Zero accidents” in train operations for safe transportation of public.
4.Status of Development of Train Collision AvoidanceSystem
·After successful trials, all the three firms are approved under developmental orders on 23.03.2018 for Absolute Block section up to the speed of 110 KMPH:
ØM/s. MEDHA on23.03.2018
ØM/s. HBL on 31.12.2018
ØM/s. KERNEX on17.04.2019
5. TCAS –Auto SectionTrials
·Santhnagar-Lingampalli (14.8 Kms) Section of South Central Railway allotted in July 2018 for carrying out Auto SectionTrials.
·Installation work completed by all the three firms in the allottedsection.
·TCAS trials in Auto-Section started inFeb-19.
·Based on the field experiences gained, the specification for Auto section was finalized inJuly-19.
·Trial has been carried out on date 23 & 24 Sept 2019.
·Approval for Auto-Section from RDSO obtained for the threefirms.
6.TCAS - Deployment inSCR
The following Pink Book Works are under progress over South Central Railway:
ØPB 580 of 2019-20 - Bidar-Parli Vaijnath-Parbhani - (241 km) for an estimated value of Rs. 37.23Crores.
ØPB 581 of 2019-20 -Manmad- Parbhani- Nanded- Secunderabad- Gadwal- Dhone- Guntakal - (958 km) for an estimated value of Rs. 176.17Crores.
7. Status of the 1200 RKMs TCAS work overSCR:
| 1200 RKM TCAS WORK progress(As on31.03.2023) |
| Sl.No | OEM | Scope | Achievements as on31.03.2023 | BalanceTargets |
| | Package A– | Mudkhed (ex) - Guntakal | Mudkhed (ex) -Guntakal | |
| | M/sMedha | 612RKm | 612RKm | |
| 1 | (50%) | 61Stations 04 LC gates withtower02 IB withtower | 61Stations 04 LC gates withtower02 IB withtower | 23ElectricalLocos |
| | | 112Locos | 89Locos | |
| | Package B– | Mudkhed -Nagarsol | Mudkhed -Nagarsol | |
| | M/sHBL | 347RKm | 347RKm |
| 2 | (30%) | 34Stations | 34Stations |
| | | 04 LC gates with tower | 04 LC gates with tower |
| | | 30Locos | 30Locos |
| 3 | Package C– M/sKernex(20%) | Bidar (ex) - Parbhani(ex) 241RKm 16Stations 04 LC gates withtower18Locos | Bidar (ex) - Parbhani(ex) 241RKm 16Stations 04 LC gates withtower18Locos | |
| | 1200RKm | 1200RKm | |
| TOTAL | 111stations 12 LCgates 02 IB withtower | 111stations 12 LCgates 02 IB withtower | 23ElectricalLocos |
| 160Locos | 137Locos | |
Field Trial of KAVACH systems by two new vendors (M/s GGtronics & M/s Quadrant)in
Moula Ali (Excl) - Raghunathpalli section (86 Rkm) of Secunderabad division is in progress.
Completion period: 15 Months (TDC: Aug2023).
LOA counter offer issued date 13-11-2019
Last updated on 31-10-2023
