When Railways Minister Sadananda Gowda had announced the railway budget, talks about Bullet trains connecting different parts of India, railway modernisation and opening FDI in railways had stirred up public interest.

Nearly three months after the announcement, main line operator Southern Railways has awarded a signalling contract to Thales group to supply an ETCS Level 1 solution also called as Train Protection and Warning System or TPWS. In Southern India. this is the first ETCS contract awarded to Thales in India, and also the first step of a large modernisation programme of TPWS systems of the Indian Railways network.

On this 66 kilometre-long stretch, the ETCS L1 system will enable trains to run faster, leading to shorter travel times and increased line capacity, while optimising train security and passenger safety through its Automatic Train Protection capability. Thales will deploy its ETCS Level 1 solution and will be responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of track-side equipment. Thales will also guarantee the interoperability of ETCS L1 track side equipment with existing on-board, non-Thales systems. “This contract, which will increase the efficiency and operational safety of this stretch, further cements our position in the Indian transportation market. Thales’s rail solutions are present throughout India, where we were the first company to introduce state-of-the-art CBTC metro signalling technology. As a trusted partner, we will continue to accompany the development of India’s transport infrastructure.” Eric Lenseigne, Managing Director of Thales in India said. Thales is a long-standing partner in India. In terms of public transport, Thales’s systems are operational in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Jaipur. The Group provides a wide range of urban transport solutions ranging from signalling to ticketing and passenger information systems. In main line rail, Thales provides electronic axel counters throughout the Indian Railways network.