Current Affairs National

Category : National

The Indian Railways has eliminated all unmanned level crossings (UMLC) from its four zones viz. West Central Railway, Central Railway, Eastern Railway and South East Central Railway. These four zones aggregating 11,545 route kilometers have now become UMLC free on broad gauge route.

Key Facts Indian Railways has target of September 2018 for eliminating UMLC in 11 zones of its total 16 zones. For the remaining zones, the target is has been set before 2020. So far, all UMLCs on routes having speed more than 100 kmph and on suburban routes have been eliminated, except 13 such crossings in South Central Railway which will be completed by July 2018.

Elimination all unmanned level crossings Union Railway Ministry has taken series of safety steps to prevent accidents at these unmanned railway crossings.   Indian Railways has around 30,348 level crossings, out of which 11,563 i.e. nearly 40%, are unmanned.     Some of safety initiatives undertaken at these unmanned railway crossings include closing of many crossings, construction of rail overbridge and rail underbridge. At certain places Gate Mitra and Gate Counsellors are also deployed. Indian Railways also has partnered with India Space Research Organistion (ISRO) to safety crossing system using Geo-spatial technologies. These technologies will include combination of Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing in order to send mobile message alerts to people in vicinity of an unmanned level crossing.