Pune: Automatic Signalling System Commissioned On Chinchwad-Khadki Section Of Central Railway

Sumit Singh 

Pune 20th August 2023: The Railway officials on Sunday successfully completed the work of commissioning automatic signalling system on the 10.18 Km Chinchwad-Khadki section of the Central Railway in the Pune division. A mega Block was announced by the railway officials today to carry out this work.

“With this successful block completion, Lonavala-Khadki 54.35 km section of Pune Division has become Automatic Signalling territory. Remaining section automatic signalling of 6.24 Km of Khadki-Pune section will be completed in next 3 months” said officials.

According to officials, the introduction of Automatic Signalling System in Chinchwad to Pune section will reduce train running time and it will also help to increase train speed in this section.

Salient features of Chinchwad – Khadki Automatic Block Signalling :

1) It will help to improve trains headway

2) Auxiliary Warning system for 21 UP and DN signals installed with enhanced train safety

3) MSDAC (Multi section Digital Axle Counter) dual detection for track vacancy detection and improved reliability which has resulted in reduced travel time.

4) In this Automatic Block Signalling system (ABS), the signals are placed at approximately 1 Km distance each in this Lonavala- Khadki section. It will improve section capacity and will help to reduce the travel time.

5) This Automatic Block Signalling is provided with Auxiliary Warning system (AWS) in sub-urban EMU trains and track lines, it will ensure safe speed of EMU train at each signal.

The system will ensure reduction of train speed when train passes Yellow signal and applies emergency brake when Motormen ignore Red signal.

6) In this Automatic Block Signalling, Signal clearance is by the running train movement only i.e. as the train passes next signals (of 1 km distance) with adequate safety distance, rear (behind) automatic signal assumes automatically from red to yellow aspect and next train can enter the section. “The human interface for Line Clear (Absolute Block working) at Chinchwad- Pimpri, Pimpri-Dapodi and Dapodi-Khadki is now eliminated, thus train working will be much safer”.

7) The section is also equipped with Dual track vacancy detection system by provision of Multi Section Digital axle counter (MSDAC) system of international Safety Integrity Level (SIL)4. This will enhance safety and reliability of signalling system for seamless train operation.

8) In this work, Level crossing gate no. 60, 61 and 62 in Pimpri- Dapodi- Khadki sections are also provided with the latest motor operated barriers with new interlocking.

9) “All the 21 new automatic signals are provided with Electronic control LED signals for long visibility”.

10) All the 3 new relay huts where Automatic Signals are centralised are provided with 512/32 inputs real time Data-logger with Divisional and Head quarter control networking system.

11) All the 3 relay-huts are provided with Fire detection Alarm system.

12) For track vacancy detection 43 numbers of coded Audio Frequency Track Circuits (AFTC) have been also commissioned in this work to ensure safety.