Srinagar, Mar 6: The rail service in Kashmir is all set to get state-of-the-art equipment to enhance safety and reduce travel time significantly. A Railways official said it will take almost one month for the entire Baramulla- Banihal stretch “for old block instruments to be replaced with latest ones”, which is a step towards safer travel.
“This step is being taken for upgradation of the Railways in Kashmir and we are sure it will be of benefit and safety of those travelling on the train” the official said.
The Baramulla -Hamrae section of Kashmir rail project has been commissioned “with UFSBI system for absolute block system working, incorporating the features of Block Proving by latest Dual Detection Axle Counter of Fraucshers with safety integrity of level-4 and wheel detection upto 400 Km/Hrto control the movement of trains on single line block section from one block station to another” said an official document.
While explaining the introduction of the new technology a Railway official said: “It is a user-friendly push button type Block Instrument capable of providing the last vehicle detection in both single and double line sections”
He further said that the Block Panel provided, offers audio-visual indications for all vital information. “ The interlocking circuits and input, output through Q-series relays provide galvanic isolation, making the system suitable in both RE & Non-RE sections. The system is media independent i.e., it works on copper cable, OFC or microwave without hampering the fail-safety of the operation” the official said. He said the system is triple modular redundant “which means increase inavailability resulting in minimum train detention. This system also holds the final status using latch relays so that during power supply or any failure it remains in last operating state” the official added.
The replacement of existing old age block instruments with latest block working by means of UFSBI with Dual Digital axle counter will be carried out at all stations of Kashmir. This work is being carried out by Signal and Telecom wing of USBRL/NR and Ircon, he said.
It may be mentioned that during the recent visit of union Minister of State for Railways, Darshana Jardosh to Kashmir, the minister had said that the Union Railway Ministry has set March 2022 as the deadline for the electrification of more than the 136-kilometre Banihal-Baramulla railway track. As per Railway officials electrification work is in full swing and the project would be completed by March next year.
“The 136 km railway line from Banihal to Baramulla has already been commissioned and its electrification work has also been sanctioned. All tenders have been awarded and the Signalling and Telecommunication plan have also been approved and work is under progress” an official had said.
As per railway officials, during normal days, 15 pairs of trains run over the railway line from Banihal to Baramulla and carry almost 30,000 commuters including students and government employees, except one day in a week. The 137-kilometer Banihal-Baramulla railway line has witnessed inclusion of state-of-the-art imported snow-sweepers and cutters to ensure effective clearance of the runway and train tracks during winters.
Trains running between Banihal and Baramulla cross various Kashmir parts and has almost 20 different stations of which the major ones are Banihal, Qazigund, Anantnag, Srinagar, Budgam, Mazhom, Pattan, Hamre, Sopore and Baramulla.