The Central Railway (CR) has decided to install digital sensors in all escalators on its main and harbour lines to resolve frequent stoppage issues. A Central Railway official confirmed that by February 2025, all 164 escalators across these routes will be equipped with sensors that enable remote restart. This upgrade will significantly reduce the restart time from the current 25-30 minutes to just 2-5 minutes.
The decision follows an internal study conducted by the Central Railway on escalators at key routes, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Karjat/Kasara and CSMT to Panvel. The study revealed that each escalator halts an average of 128 times per month, with manual shutdowns due to red button activation accounting for 110 of these incidents.
Focus on Long-Distance Platforms
According to officials, most incidents occur on platforms catering to long-distance trains. “The majority of stoppages are caused by elderly passengers, women, mischief-makers, or porters pressing the red button, either intentionally or unintentionally,” an official stated. While CCTV footage often identifies the culprits, there is no provision under the Railway Act to penalize them, limiting the action the railway can take.
Upgraded System for Faster Restart
Once the new system is implemented, escalators that stop due to red button activation will restart within 2-5 minutes. Here’s how the process will improve:
Current Process:
When an escalator stops, station staff or CCTV footage alerts the station master, who assigns someone to restart it. If a technical issue arises, contractors are called in. This process currently takes 25-30 minutes or longer due to limited staff availability.
Upgraded Process:
Digital sensors will be installed on each escalator, enabling online control. If an escalator stops for any reason, it can be restarted remotely with a single click from the control office, reducing the downtime to just 2-5 minutes.
Challenges Faced by Escalators
The suburban stations in Mumbai, often congested with limited space, require additional infrastructure to accommodate escalators. Many are connected to new 12-meter-wide foot-over bridges (FOBs), but frequent stoppages inconvenience passengers. Although the number of escalators is increasing, the maintenance staff has not grown proportionally. This has led to delays in restarting escalators, prompting the need for technical upgrades to address these challenges efficiently.
