Bangladesh Railway authorities are working to upgrade the railway signalling system and create skilled manpower under several projects with the aim to prevent train accidents.
According to railway sources, installation work on CBI (computer-based interlocking) and CTC (centralised traffic control) signal system in Joydebpur-Ishurdi section is underway.
Under a project, CBI has already been installed on Padma Bridge rail line and through this, train operation from Kamalapur Railway station to Bhanga station is being monitored.
There are 20 railway stations from Dhaka to Jashore. Of them, 14 stations are new and six are being modernised. All the stations on this route will be brought under modern signal system.
Installation work on modern railway signal system is also going on at Akhaura-Bhairab section.
Besides, the government undertook a Tk 648 crore project last year to replace and moderniae signaling and interlocking system of the railway stations in Ishwardi-Parbatipur section.
This project will be implemented by 2027. Once the project implemented, 20 more stations on the route will come under modern signaling system.
Communication expert Hadiuzzaman said, “It is very urgent to update all the level crossings and signaling system. The risk of human error can be eliminated by integrating and automating signals, level crossings and stations.”
Poor signaling system has become a matter of discussion following a recent train accident. A commuter train bound for Dhaka collided head on with an oil-laden train bound for Rangpur in Choto Dewra area of Gazipur on May 3. The Railway authorities suspended three employees after the accident. They are station master Hasem and pointsmen Saddam and Mostafizur.
The two pointsmen were working on contractual basis, according to railway sources.
The government has made massive development in the country’s railway sector, but the signal system still remains neglected. Trains are running manually on most of the routes, including Abdullapur-Parbatipur, Darshana-Khulna, Poradah-Rajbari, Shantahar-Lalmonirhat, Parbatipur-Kaunia, Dewanganj- Joydebpur, Mymensingh-Gauripur-Bhairab and Akhaura-Sylhet. Pointsmen often control signals by using red-green lamps on designated pillars.
Director General of Bangladesh Railway Sardar Shahadat Ali said, “Bangladesh Railway is a big sector which needs 47,637 manpower for smooth operation of train service. It is running with only 25,000 staff. In recent times, 6,000 employees have recruited but many of them have left the railway service after getting better jobs.”
The signal department is running with least manpower, he said that adding, “We have a plan to increase the number of staff for improving the railway signal system.
