Along the lines of a top-notch technical institution like IITs, students of Amrita University of Coimbatore have developed a WiFi Telematics for Konkan railway’s SkyBus Transportation System—a unique architecture that facilitates buses or coaches’ to ply on rails mounted 15-20 feet above ground level within concrete overhead lanes.

Even though telematics is a vague concept in India, a group of six students and teachers have gone a step ahead to develop this wireless fidelity telematics. Chief technology officer Jairaj B.Poroor headed this project that took the University a solid time of six-months. According to Poroor, “telematics can facilitate effective vehicle traffic, location tracking, video announcements, fleet scheduling, video surveillance and also value added or multimedia features like education through e-learning processes and entertainment.”

Amrita Research labs, the R&D wing of the University, recently deployed the system at 1.6 kilometer long test track in Madgaon, Goa’s Konkan SkyBus for the first time in India.

“It’s of great usage to Konkan railways, which is one of the biggest in India. We are happy to have it implemented and there are offers from other states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu,” said the Chief Managing Director of Konkan Railway, K.K.Gohkale, when asked about the project implementation.

Amrita Research Labs innovation claims to enhance the SkyBus transportation system and make it more efficient, user-friendly and secure. Through this, SkyBus coaches, within a difference of a kilometer or two, can communicate using audio or video functionalities between the moving coaches and central control station, access the internet inside the moving coach, make public voice announcements, display vehicle routes and mutual timing synchronization.