Driven by the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) which is now on a fast track, rail vehicle manufacturing company Bombardier Transportation India Limited, the domestic outfit of Canadian firm Bombardier Inc., is buoyant about its railway signalling system business.
While currently Bombardier's signalling office and the software development centre are also located at Vadodara, which develops software for signalling and traction applications, and caters to the software requirements of Bombardier Transportation worldwide, the company is readying to provide traffic management systems (TMS) for Indian Railways.
"We have virtually all the technology including axel control technology, audio frequency tracks circuit (AFTC) and European Train Control System (ETCS) in railway signalling system. We are currently working with Railways in other verticals and are looking forward to projects in railway signalling as well," said Rajeev Jyoti, managing director of Bombardier Transportation India Limited.
While, Audio Frequency Track Circuits (AFTC) have been developed to over come the effect of alternate current (AC) induction in AC electrified tracks on conventional direct current (DC) track circuits and also to avoid insulation block joints on tracks for bifurcation of track circuit sections, ETCS creates standardised train control system and thus harmonise rolling stock equipment.
The system transmits data between track and vehicle via ETCS components to facilitate train and corresponding route information.
According to Jyoti, the DFC project, spanning 2762 km, will generate need for state-of-the-art technology in railway signalling given the traffic for which Bombardier is readying itself to get engaged in.
"We will use our global product platforms to offer railway signalling system. With turn key projects being planned by Indian Railways, we are looking forward to being part of consortium and partnerships for railway signalling. Since railway signalling system will be project-based, we have not set a target to achieving certain capacity in manufacturing. However, as and when the bids are announced we will participate in them," he added.
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Recently, Bombardier has been awarded contracts for the delivery of a second TMS for Central Railway in Mumbai, which will manage an excess of 1,400 services daily; production and delivery of its BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 350 train control and signalling system for two new sections of lines of Delhi Metro, a total of 37 kilometers and 424 MOVIA metro cars to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC).
The company commissioned its new railway coach manufacturing unit at Savli in Gujarat's Vadodara district. Initially, the unit will manufacture 340 Movia metro cars for DMRC.
The cars, valued at Rs 2,360 crore, were order by DMRC in July last year. Bombardier also won a follow-up order for supplying 84 Movia cars, valued at Rs 548 crore.