Trains get GPS-aided fog safety devices to tackle delays in winter

New Delhi: In order to avoid delay due to dense fog and zero visibility during winters, the Indian Railways has now installed a fog-safety device in all the trains to ensure that they complete the journey in time.

''A fog safety device is being installed in trains in Northern India by the Indian Railways to increase speed and reduce delay caused by fog,'' a senior official was quoted as saying by ANI on Thursday.

''We have used GPS technology in the device with a map of tracks, signals, stations & level crossing of Northern Railway in it,'' Nitin Chowdhary, Northern Railway CPRO, said.

Giving more details about the technology being used and the advantages it brings, Chowdhary said, ''It alerts loco pilot about level crossings and signal. When drivers know there are no hurdles, they can increase speed.''

The fog-safety device is being installed in the driver's cabin. 

It alerts the driver of the approaching signal on the track in the fog. The foggy weather affects the visibility of signals.

The move to install fog safety device in the trains comes at a time when entire North India continues to reel under dense fog, which has seriously affected the movement of trains and flights operations.

Residents in Delhi today woke up to a cold morning with a thick layer of fog covering the entire city. Visibility today stood at 50 metres which affected train and flight operations.

At least 34 domestic and international flights were delayed, while three were cancelled. 

Around 14 trains were cancelled, 60 delayed and 18 rescheduled due to the thick fog in several parts of northern India. 

Moreover, hundreds of passengers at several railway stations across north India were left stranded due to cancellation of trains. 

The minimum temperature was recorded at 5 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, the Met said.

The humidity at 8.30. am was 100 percent. The MeT predicted shallow fog towards the end of the day.

"The sky will be clear," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said. The maximum temperature was likely to hover around 19 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature on Wednesday settled at 18.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average while the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.4 degrees Celsius, normal for the season's average.