Palakkad Division Tests VSAT Connectivity from Station to Train

On Wednesday, the Palakkad Division tested VSAT connectivity aboard its Accident Relief Train. The Division conducted the tests successfully from the nearby Madukkarai Railway Station.

VSAT Connectivity Tested from Madukkarai Railway Station

The division said in a press release that it had conducted a mock derailment exercise on Wednesday. During the mock exercise, it used the connectivity equipment aboard the ART to transmit video data of the relief operations to the Railway Board in Delhi. Notably, delivering connectivity via satellites forms the basis for this technology.

It includes a one way satellite ground station with a dish antenna. Furthermore, the Railway has found its most effective use in disaster management, among other applications.

First, the ART collects the data from the accident site. Then, it uses the VSAT dish antenna to relay the same to a satellite. Afterwards, the satellite beams the data down to a central hub. This central hub regulates the data before it ships it off to Zonal and Divisional control rooms.

ART Shoranur, a relief train in the fleet of Palakkad division, has this VSAT equipment installed aboard. ARTs are generally used in disaster management operations within railways. This particular train has not only the equipment installed, but it comes with a full complement of staff. The division release said that as soon as news of an accident comes in, the train is ready to leave.

The Railways has decided to equip ARTs with the state-of-the-art VSAT connectivity to establish reliable connectivity between the accident spot and the control rooms. This connectivity can prove vital in emergency situations and help dispatch relief aid immediately and effectively. To that extent, Railways check and update these facilities at regular intervals. The division release also said that it has been conducting these tests across all important stations within the division.

As demand for connecting the far-flung regions increased over the years, VSAT and satcom have increasingly gaining traction within India, and the race has intensified over the last few months.