Tracking system RTIS covers 8,700 train engines at present: Vaishnaw

About 8,700 locomotives have Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) that helps in tracking the location and speed of trains, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

The minister's statement suggests that over 60 per cent of train engines are covered with RTIS since railway sources say there are over 14,000 locomotives in operation in the country.

According to the Indian Railways Year Book 2021-22, there were a total 13,215 locomotives by March 31, 2022. This number was 12,734 in 2020-21.

Vaishnaw made the statement while answering questions raised by BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal regarding the RTIS project.

Jaiswal wanted to know if the Railways has signed any agreement with ISRO for a train tracking system in the country" and the number of locomotives identified to be fitted with the said technology and the number of new locomotives being manufactured with the in-built tracking devices.

In response, Vaishnaw stated that presently, the RTIS system covers about 8,700 locomotives and the manufacturing of locomotives is an ongoing process.

According to the minister, RTIS is a 'Made-In-India, edge processing, IoT (Internet of Things)-based system that utilises ISRO's Satcom and Satnav technologies for automatic train tracking.

The real-time data of RTIS helps in tracking the location and speed of locomotives and trains. The RTIS is linked with the National Train Enquiry System and Control Office Application system, Vaishnaw said.

An MoU has been signed between Centre for Railway Information System, Ministry of Railways and Space Application Centre, ISRO for development and implementation of Satcom and Satnav-based RTIS system.