New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna on Wednesday visited the Control Office of Delhi Division and reviewed various aspects of railway operations, including safety, train operations, punctuality and public grievances. 

During the visit, the Minister interacted with officials and staff of the Control Office, and also held detailed discussions with DRM Delhi Pushpesh R Tripathi and his team.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry, the Control Office serves as the nerve centre of a Railway Division, where train running, maintenance planning, supervision and safety-related activities are monitored round the clock. These functions are carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

During the visit, V Somanna observed the functioning of Section Controllers and various other verticals of the Control Office, including Engineering, Coaching, Goods, Commercial, Signal & Telecom, Traction and Security Controls. He also visited the state-of-the-art Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Centre and the War Room of Delhi Division.

Delhi Division is among the most complex administrative divisions of the Indian Railways network. During his interaction with officials and staff, the Minister understood the complexities of railway operations and gained insights from frontline staff to identify areas for further improvement, as per the release.

The discussions covered opportunities for greater technology adoption, improvement in staff working conditions and future development of railway operations and infrastructure.

V Somanna highlighted the rapid adoption of technology across various aspects of railway working, including train operations, safety supervision and maintenance monitoring. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, technology adoption in Indian Railways has accelerated significantly across these areas.

Technology-enabled systems have helped reduce human errors and enhance safety, and these efforts will be further strengthened in the future with continued focus on Make in India and other policy initiatives, V Somanna mentioned.

Somanna appreciated the discipline, dedication and hard work of Railway staff, noting that Railway employees work round the clock with a level of commitment comparable to that of the Army.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of strengthening technology-driven monitoring, operational efficiency, safety supervision and staff-centric improvements to further enhance the performance of Indian Railways. (ANI)