The Southern Railway has initiated the installation of global positioning system (GPS) devices in electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains, allowing commuters on suburban train services to track real-time arrival information. This move follows the successful implementation of GPS devices in over 3,000 buses by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) for real-time bus movement information through the Chennai bus app.
Currently, commuters rely on timetables, and despite the punctuality of suburban services being maintained at 95%, some passengers experience delays during peak hours on specific sections. To address this, the Chennai division of the Southern Railway plans to integrate GPS with the National Train Enquiry System (NTES), providing real-time information on EMU train arrivals and departures.
The first phase involves installing GPS in 20 EMUs at the Avadi car shed, with real-time tracking expected to commence in January, and completion for all EMUs is scheduled by December next year.