No talks with Konkan Railway for its ACD: Pak Railway

New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) Pakistan Railways today denied that it was in talks with the Konkan Railways to import its anti-collision device (ACD) for its trains to cut down on accidents.

''We have not so far approached Konkan Railways for its anti-colision device,'' said a member of the Pakistani Railway delegation, which concluded its three-day talks with Indian Railways here this evening.

In Mumbai yesterday, media reports quoting an official of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited had said Pakistan and South African Railways are waiting for KRCL's invention of anti-collision device to be commissioned.

However, media reports the KRCL official as saying that e-mail queries had been received from both Pakistan Railways and South Africa, seeking more details of the device and its implementation.

Last month, the KRCL had put the device, having the trademark 'Raksha Kavach', at a demonstration in Goa, and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has already expressed satisfaction at its performance.

ACD has not yet been publicly commissioned as it is awaiting final certification by the Railway Ministry's Lucknow-based Research Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO).

The ACD device transmits electronic signals and warn an incoming train in the vicinity about another train's presence by picking up signals emitted. If the trains are on a collision course within three km distance, both the trains apply brakes automatically.

The Hyderabad-based Kernex Microsystems Indian Ltd has been granted an exclusive licence from Konkan Railway to manufacture the ACD.

So far over 1,000 ACDs have been installed on the 1,800 km stretch of the North East Frontier Railway. ACD towers have been erected at 185 railway stations and 223 locomotives have already been fitted with ACD equipment.

UNI SKS VD BD1905