NEW DELHI: Taking yet another technological leap, Northern Railway has successfully commissioned the unique "terminal management system" (TMS) at 15 locations in the zone and plans to extend the facility to 43 new locations within the next few months. Part of the "freight operations information system" (FOIS), TMS helps in tracking the location of wagon loaded on the different zones of Indian Railways.

Stating that FOIS was expected to mark another turning point in establishing better management practices in the freight segment of the railways, a Northern Railway spokesperson said with the easy, on-line and real-time reporting through FOIS, the concerns of freight users about getting goods on time would be addressed. Developed by the New Delhi-based Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), FOIS has two main sub-modules -- TMS and rake management system (RMS) -- that helps in bringing greater ease and flexibility besides maintaining optimal balance in the complex activity of freight train operations, he added.

"The system is capable of generating around 1,200 reports for general administrative purposes as well as reports to cater to the rail-customer's demands. FOIS is in place now at 233 locations on Indian Railways. To be implemented across the country in a two-phased programme, the total project will cost Rs.423 crores. This year, the railways' main focus has been classification of commodities, rationalisation of freight-rate structure and streamlining of freight traffic in order to enable the railways to capture the logistics market."

Stating that focused efforts and various initiatives undertaken to improve terminal management, better crew management and close monitoring of ineffective stock has led to an increase in the efficiency indices of the railways, the spokesperson said another notable feature of the system on the customer interface was that contacts with high-end users were maintained through e-mails on the system.

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