NCR - maar bhi, raftaar bhi - Harshit Sharma

There is a monitor in trains, keeping an eye on the driver looking to steal a nap or take a couple of swigs of alcohol. And it's known as vigilance control device (VCD). As many as 16 passenger and goods trains, plying in the Adra railway division, have hit the safety tracks with this special gizmo that determines the state of a driver and automatically applies penalty brakes in case he is incapacitated.Speaking to The Telegraph, divisional railway manager, Adra, A.K. Haldhar, said the microprocessor based multi-resettable system had been introduced in trains driven by diesel engines. Indian Railways' Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in Lucknow has developed the device, which has been functional in the trains of Adra division for the past six months or so.Explaining how VCD works, Haldhar, who was here to attend a safety seminar organised at the diesel workshop near Bokaro station, said: "There is...
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an acknowledgement button, which has to be pressed by the driver every 60 seconds. If that does not happen, there will be a warning beep at the end of 60 seconds. This will be followed by a hooting sound after more 17 seconds if the driver still fails to respond. The sound will be repeated after 13 seconds. Finally, emergency brakes will become active after 90 seconds and the train will come to a halt."The system not only keeps the drivers alert but also help them seek assistance in case of any emergency."We are doing all we can to ensure safety of passengers. This move is part of our measures. VCD keeps a vigil on sleeping and drunken drivers and thus reduce the chances of accidents because of negligent driving," Haldhar added.Last year, the South Eastern Railway (SER) authorities had announced that it would equip all trains in Maoist-hit Chakradharpur division with VCD to monitor focus of locomotive drivers and ensure safety of passengers.Prodded about other security measures, the DRM said the railways had also decided to install the anti-collision device (ACD). The Lucknow-based research institute has already successfully tested the system, developed by Konkan Railway."The ACD will alert the locopilots of trains if they are running on the same tracks and thus prevent disasters," the DRM said.Meanwhile, the safety seminar for railway employees saw technical experts imparting tips on how to run trains in foggy conditions when visibility is zero. Haldhar also urged the masses to cooperate with the railways so that the latter can ensure better services.