Technology can cut human error, improve rail safety, says MoS Somanna

Technology-enabled systems are helping Indian Railways reduce human errors and improve safety, Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna said on Wednesday during a review of operations at the Delhi Division.

Somanna, who represents Tumakuru in the Lok Sabha, visited the Delhi Division Control Office and reviewed train operations, safety supervision, punctuality, maintenance and public grievances. He also interacted with frontline railway staff and senior officials.

He said technology adoption across train operations, safety monitoring and maintenance had accelerated and would be expanded further, with a continued focus on Make in India and other policy initiatives.


The minister reviewed the functioning of Section Controllers and key control verticals, including Engineering, Coaching, Goods, Commercial, Signal and Telecom, Traction and Security. He also visited the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Centre and the War Room of the Delhi Division.

The Control Office functions as the operational nerve centre of a railway division, monitoring train movements, maintenance planning and safety-related activities round the clock. Delhi is among the most complex divisions in the Indian Railways network because of its high traffic density and the scale of passenger and freight operations.

Somanna held discussions with Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Pushpesh R Tripathi and his team on improving technology adoption, operational efficiency, infrastructure and working conditions for railway staff.

He said greater use of technology would be critical to improving monitoring and decision-making while reducing the scope for human error in railway operations.

Somanna also praised railway employees for their round-the-clock work, saying their discipline and commitment were comparable to that of the armed forces.

The review comes as Indian Railways is increasingly deploying digital systems for train control, asset monitoring, predictive maintenance and real-time operational oversight. Such systems are intended to improve safety and punctuality while allowing railway authorities to respond faster to disruptions.

The minister said the government would continue to strengthen technology-driven monitoring and operational systems as part of efforts to improve the efficiency and reliability of the railway network.