Indian Railways has been mandated to accelerate the installation of Crew Voice and Video Recording Systems (CVVRS) across its diesel and electric locomotives. This initiative, aimed at bolstering operational safety, involves retrofitting locomotives with black-box-type devices that record voice and video of the crew, including pilots and assistant pilots.
The devices capture conversations between the loco-pilot, train managers, and station masters, providing critical data for analysing incidents and improving safety protocols. The Chief Commissioner of Rail Safety has underscored the importance of this retrofitment, stating that it should be prioritised. This recommendation comes in the wake of the Kanchanjunga Express collision, emphasising the urgent need for enhanced monitoring and recording systems in locomotives.
Initially proposed in 2018, the installation of CVVRS began with 26 locomotives, comprising 23 diesel and 3 electric. The budget for 2018-19 allocated ₹100.40 crore for the procurement of 3,500 CVVRS units. According to the Railways Yearbook for 2021-22, these systems, akin to the black boxes in aeroplanes, are being tested on electric locomotives to record cab voice, video, and track-side audio through microphones and cameras. The ability to record crew communications and interactions prior to an incident is expected to provide invaluable insights into operational and human factors contributing to accidents.
Currently, procurement of 5,000 CVVRS units through Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) and an additional 500 units through Patiala Locomotive Works (PLW) is underway. The plan is to equip all locomotives with these devices as a standard safety measure. Despite the safety benefits, there have been objections from some loco pilots, who feel that the installation of CVVRS undermines their professional integrity by implying a lack of trust in their work. This sentiment has surfaced in previous meetings regarding the deployment of these devices.
The push for CVVRS installation is partly driven by the troubling statistics of signal failures. Between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2024, there were 208 instances of “signal passing at danger,” with 12 resulting in collisions. The June collision involving a goods train and the Kanchanjunga Express, which resulted in ten fatalities, was primarily caused by an automatic signal failure. To address these issues, Indian Railways is preparing an action plan to enhance the reliability of signalling equipment, with the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) leading the effort alongside various zones.
