Live monitoring of freight trains moving on the DFC has just begun at the Operation Control Centre established at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The Control Centre consists of a huge 91-metre video wall on which live tracking of cargo trains has just begun. On 17th August, a 59-wagon freight train entered the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from New Sonnagar station. It was loaded with coal at Mahanadi Coal Field and heading towards Talwandi Power Station. This was the first train that could be spotted on the screen of the Control Centre.
Welcome to the Operation Control Centre at Prayagraj, the first such facility in the Indian rail sector, created for monitoring and ensuring smooth flow of freight movement on Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) on a real time basis.
The first freight train of the day was followed by 241 goods trains (up and down) on that day including four “pythons”.
The two freight trains with 59 wagons each joined together called “python” in rail jargon. Pythons are being used for long and heavy haul as they can carry maximum goods at a time.
The movement of “python” reduces logistic cost as it moves about 10,400 tonne of goods at a time to the destination, explains the Chief Controller at the Operation Centre.
The state-of-the-art 91 metre video wall reflects all actions throughout the day as about 21-odd trained technicians sitting in three rows ensuring smooth run of freight trains on the 1,038 km long Eastern DFC through constant monitoring and instructing the concerned staff on the ground.
The Operation Control Centre witnessed movement of four “Pythons” in the EDFC on 17 August which include 104-wagon freight trains from Ghaziabad to Mirzapur and Sonnagar to Dadri. “DFC is a rail expressway of the rail network. Our aim is to speed up the goods movement upto 60 to 70 kmph from the current 48 kmph,” said the Signal Controller. The Control Centre is also equipped to track any anomalies that develop in the functioning of a moving train and will alert the staff on the locomotive and on the ground. The Eastern DFC has operationalised Wheel and Bearing Condition System, Machine Vision Inspection System and Wheel Impact Load Detection System.
