A new safety system called the Crew Voice and Video Recording System (CVVRS) is being installed in local trains operating on Mumbai’s suburban railway network. It will record real-time audio and video of the tracks and crew members while the train is moving.
Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) have installed the CVVRS on 25 and 26 local train rakes, respectively. More installations are in progress.
As per a report by HT, the main goal of the system is to improve safety and efficiency by monitoring the track condition ahead of the train. The audio and video recordings may help investigators understand what went wrong in the case of an accident.
This comes after the Mumbra train accident on June 9, in which five people died after falling from a local train. A long-distance train had passed in the opposite direction, but there were no cameras on either train to provide evidence.
It should be noted that each local train has two motorcabs, one in the front for the motorman and one in the rear for the train manager. Both cabins are being fitted with the CVVRS. Each system includes audio recorders and six CCTV cameras. Two cameras record the track ahead. Two records inside the motorcab. The remaining two cameras are 180-degree wide-angle cameras mounted to capture both sides of the track.
As per reports, the recordings will show whether crew members followed the correct procedures. The voice recordings will also help determine whether safety signals and colour codes were given and acknowledged.
The CVVRS is equipped with artificial intelligence features. It can alert control rooms in case of driver fatigue, distraction, or use of mobile phones. The system is also expected to improve communication with train drivers while they are operating the train. As per sources, each CVVRS installation in a motorcab costs between INR 1 lakh and INR 1.25 lakh.
Last month, railway unions raised concerns over the system. They said it could distract crew members, violate privacy, and be misused to penalise staff for small errors. The railway authorities responded by saying the system will be used only for safety improvements and counselling.
Apart from local trains, WR is also fitting CVVRS systems in long-distance locomotives as per Indian Railways Research, Design, and Standards Organisation guidelines. Officials said the cost of fitting one locomotive with CCTV is around INR 8 to INR 10 lakh. WR currently operates 978 locomotives.
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