The report was submitted to Western Railway general manager GC Agarwal on July 21 and he had asked senior department heads, including Operations (that runs trains) and Electrical (which oversees the technical and maintenance aspect of local trains), to look into the recommendation and provide inputs into the pros and cons of its implementation.
The recommendation to have mobile phone jamming devices inside motorman cabins of local trains so that motormen concentrate on piloting their trains rather than talking on mobile phones has become a non-starter. The recommendation was made by an accident inquiry committee that had investigated the mishap at Churchgate on June 28 last year when a train failed to safely navigate its entry into platform 3 of the station, broke the end-buffer and climbed into the concourse at the southern end of the platform.
The report was submitted to Western Railway general manager GC Agarwal on July 21 and he had asked senior department heads, including Operations (that runs trains) and Electrical (which oversees the technical and maintenance aspect of local trains), to look into the recommendation and provide inputs into the pros and cons of its implementation.
The Operations department submitted a view that in case these devices are installed, motormen who have been provided Closed User Group mobiles will not be bale to speak to each other in case of any exigency during train working. "Mobile jammers may also interrupt passenger's mobile frequency which would lead to avoidable passenger complaints," the Operations department further contended.
The Electrical department on its part submitted that "mobile jamming devices when installed in motormen's cabin will be in close proximity with electronic equipment installed in the cabin. The effect of such mobile jamming device needs to be ascertained first before taking a decision". The department also wanted that the recommendation be looked into by the Signal and Telecom department of WR along with the Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU — railway lingo for a local train) Directorate of the Research Design Standards Organisation (RDSO) headquartered in Lucknow. Like the Operations department, the Electrical authorities too were of the view that jamming devices could disable phones when they are required during some unusual occurrence or emergency when either the motorman or the guard would need to contact the control room.
While normal working rules stipulate that motormen should not use their phones while driving trains, railway unions have been demanding that jamming devices are better options rather than enforcing a mobile ban on motormen.
Recommendations for a safer ride
Mobile jamming devices inside motormen's cab of local trains and also cell monitoring system
Creation of motormen's lobbies at other stations apart from Churchgate so that motormen don't have to travel from far away places where they reside to sign in for work
Buffer at stations like Churchgate to be re-designed so as to hold trains in place even at high speeds
Comprehensive medical and psychological tests for motormen and guards
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