MUMBAI: The Central Railway on Sunday introduced an innovative solution for OHE (overhead equipment) inspections which detects faults early and averts any mishap involving overhead wires.
The dual advantage of the new system is — it will prevent any technical faults such as entangling of pantographs with overhead wires etc while at the same time, also minimise need for traffic and power mega blocks on the suburban and long distance train corridors. The regular mega blocks, especially on suburban sections, are a pain for many commuters as it leads to suspension of train services, and curtailment on certain routes followed by delays and crowds on platforms. This puts a lot of passengers through hardships.
“A team of officials from Kurla OHE depot recently developed the innovative measurement gauge — which uses contactless laser-based technology to provide accurate measurements of overhead wires and other equipment over tracks,” said CR chief spokesperson Shivraj Manaspure on Sunday.
“The equipment is lightweight and easy to handle, and can be used in just five minutes by placing it on a railway track after a train has passed from that area. It checks all standard parameters of the OHE from a distance using laser technology and records accurate measurements while providing an analysis of whether the OHE is in proper condition or not,” he added.
With the help of this innovative gauge and a user-friendly mobile app (equipped with GPS mapping features), any railway personnel can now perform and monitor live OHE checks efficiently. “It will also lead to significant reduction in staff requirements, with just 1 to 2 personnel needed for the operation,” he added.
The equipment is also cost effective as each gauge costs upto Rs 1.2 lakh, an official said.
Currently, one such OHE measurement gauge instrument is already in successful operation, and plans are underway to deploy an impressive 70 such instruments within the next four months. One of the most critical aspects of railway infrastructure is ensuring standard OHE parameters at points and crossings along railway tracks.
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