Mumbai, Aug 16 (IANS): In a significant initiative, the Central Railway (CR) has started installing Audio Alert Systems in the driving cabs of suburban local trains in a bid to prevent accidents, collision, derailments due to human error and enhance commuters' safety, an official said here on Tuesday. 

The system, fitted inside the motorman's coach, will alert him/her about the red signals during the local train operations by EMU rakes.

The system will indicate to the motorman/motorwoman that the next railway signal is red to enable him/her to bring the train to a complete halt.

Currently, the devices have been installed in 90 out of the total 151 EMU rakes in the CR Mumbai Division, and the rest 71 rakes shall be fitted by March 2024.

The Audio Alert System costs Rs 18,000 per rake and after a train passes a Yellow signal, it will alert the motorman that the 'next signal is Red, be careful'.

The provision of these alerts will help avoid Signal Passing At Danger and accidents on the railway lines.

The Mumbai suburban network is among the busiest networks in the world and this Audio Alert System alerting the motorman about impending red signal will ensure and strengthen passenger safety.

The CR's suburban section caters to lakhs of daily commuters on the mainline, harbour lines operating between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and till Khopoli and Kasara.