PARCEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PMS)

Pilot Project for 7 stations between Delhi & Howrah  Railway Board Sanctioned 2 Crore rupees for Pilot Run of Parcel Management System (PMS) between 7 stations.  After 1 year of rigorous testing, research & development by CRIS New Delhi, PMS Started at New Delhi Parcel Office on 1st November  It has been implemented successfully at Delhi, New Delhi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Gaya, Sealdah and Howrah.  Booking, Leasing and Loading through this system for all destinations has started from 22 nd Dec 07 for above stations.

Features Direct capture of parcel weight Electronically Tracking parcel with help of barcode technology Any route booking through single window at any counter. No need to go to another booking window after filling forwarding note, hence single window can be followed for weighing, cash payment and issue of Parcel Way bill

Features (contd.) Advance loading guidance according to availability of space Prior information about the inward traffic

Architecture Piggy Backed on UTS network Piggy Backed on UTS network Centralized Approach Centralized Approach Load Balanced Load Balanced SAN Based SAN Based High end XEON Servers. High end XEON Servers. RAID 5 based Data Storage & RAID 1 based Servers. RAID 5 based Data Storage & RAID 1 based Servers.

Software Load Balancer IBM Edge Server v5.1 Web Server IBM HTTP Server v6.1 Application Server IBM Websphere Application Server v6.1 Database Server Oracle RAC 10g v Operating System RHEL4 AS update4 SAN IBM DS4700 with 2.5 TB Data Storage LTO IBM TS3100 Tape Library Backup Server Tivoli Storage Manager v4.5

Client Architecture Software Software Microsoft Windows XPMicrosoft Windows XP Internet Explorer 6Internet Explorer 6 Drivers for barcode reader, barcode printer and dot matrix printerDrivers for barcode reader, barcode printer and dot matrix printer Hardware Hardware 1GHz CPU/512MB flash ROM thin client1GHz CPU/512MB flash ROM thin client No moving parts make them suitable to dust environment No moving parts make them suitable to dust environment Virus free environment Virus free environment 24-pin 80-column dot matrix printer24-pin 80-column dot matrix printer 132 column dot matrix printer132 column dot matrix printer.5KVA UPS.5KVA UPS 1-Ton capable Weighment machine1-Ton capable Weighment machine

MODULES  Forwarding Note With the help of Electronic weighing machine weight of parcel is directly captured and sent to the system in this module. After complete information of consignment is filled, a unique forwarding note number is generated A standard java based applet from IBM is used to capture weight send by weighing machine to one of the serial port in computer

Modules (contd.)  Booking of parcel, Luggage and VP Forwarding Note number generated in above module is fed into the booking module, thereby details of consignment to be booked by party comes into the screen and freight is calculated automatically. A unique 10-digit no. called PRR (Progressive Reference Record) No. is generated.

Barcode generation For above unique PRR no. a Barcode Label is generated and pasted on the items to be sent for one to one tracking of consignment. Barcode Label contains information about the consignment in coded form. MODULES (contd.)

Above Barcode When read by scanner reads as below \ HWH^ 099  Wt of package  PRR No 0001  Item No HWH  Destination Stn

Barcode Scanner Barcode scanner is a portable Sophisticated Hand Held Device used to read Barcode Labels pasted on every package during Loading & Unloading of Packages from train so that every package can be tracked accurately out of a lot. Barcode scanner is a portable Sophisticated Hand Held Device used to read Barcode Labels pasted on every package during Loading & Unloading of Packages from train so that every package can be tracked accurately out of a lot. Data is then transferred & updated to system from Barcode Scanner. Data is then transferred & updated to system from Barcode Scanner. Standard CODE128 is used for printing of Barcodes. Code 128 provides good density between lines in barcode for all-numeric data and alphanumeric data, thus improves readability over other standard codes. Standard CODE128 is used for printing of Barcodes. Code 128 provides good density between lines in barcode for all-numeric data and alphanumeric data, thus improves readability over other standard codes.

Types Of Barcode Scanner Charged Coupled Device(CCD) Charged Coupled Device(CCD) Here barcode is photographed, digitized and electronically sampled by built-in photo detectors.Here barcode is photographed, digitized and electronically sampled by built-in photo detectors. Detectors process the measurement of every bar and space using number of adjacent photo detectorsDetectors process the measurement of every bar and space using number of adjacent photo detectors Laser Laser It project a beam of laser light off an oscillating mirror or rotating prism and generates what appears to be red scan line.It project a beam of laser light off an oscillating mirror or rotating prism and generates what appears to be red scan line.

Advantages of Barcode Proven technology Proven technology Easy to use Easy to use Cost effective itemwise tracking is possible, thus public can view their status itemwise Cost effective itemwise tracking is possible, thus public can view their status itemwise Unlike RFID, this will not have any problem of detection because of interference. Unlike RFID, this will not have any problem of detection because of interference.

Barcoding-the process Bar-code label generated for all the packages booked Bar-code label generated for all the packages booked Hand held scanner scans the packages, data from which later transferred to computer Hand held scanner scans the packages, data from which later transferred to computer Tracks movement and dispatch of booked packages Tracks movement and dispatch of booked packages Loading/Unloading to/from SLRs Loading/Unloading to/from SLRs

 Loading On selection of a Train no., loading potential displays all the parcels available for dispatch for a particular destination in a particular train scale. Based on the selection of packages Loading guidance is generated. Packages sent along with loading guidance to platform for loading. Parcels can be loaded after scanning by Barcode scanner and loading summary is recorded. MODULES (contd.)

 Unloading Destination station has advance unloading guidance Inward packages can be scanned on arrival at platform to generate unloading summary.  Inward godown Unloading summary generated on connectivity of Barcode scanner with terminal Inward packages can be scanned on entry in Inward godown

 Delivery Recipient comes to delivery clerk with original receipt. PRR no. on the receipt is then feed by delivery clerk in delivery module. All the delivery details with charges comes on the screen. The delivery receipt is then generated by the delivery clerk. Goods are given to customer against the delivery receipt. MODULES (contd.)  Tracking of parcels through online information of parcels on internet Customer can track its parcel against PRR no. on the parcel receipt.

 MIS Reports Report for parcel booking clerk, destination wise summary, counter wise summary, left-over packages summary and various other reports can be generated by system.  System Administration and Master Maintenance This module helps in creating user database, adjusting the stationary number, logging out the locked user etc. Station, Train master are updated by Database administrator at CRIS/New Delhi. Party Master, Lease Party and Contract Master, FSLA Party and Dlist master etc. are maintained by Parcel Office Supervisor. MODULES (contd.)

 Lease This module covers the Leasing of Parcel Space in the passengers Trains to the private party. MODULES (contd.)  FSLA (Freight Service & Ledger Account ) This module is for daily Registered Newspapers & magazines to be dispatched in train by paying some security in advance and pays the dues at the end of the month.

 Training Audio visual help file installed at each terminal. This helps new user to listen and see how to use the modules in software.  Bug reporting For reporting defects in software user can log it in this module, which can be viewed by software engineer at CRIS and can send the corresponding reply in that module itself MODULES (contd.)

Online database holds the data only for 3 months after booking. Data more than 3 months old is sent to another database capable of holding voluminous data, which is called data warehouse. Online database holds the data only for 3 months after booking. Data more than 3 months old is sent to another database capable of holding voluminous data, which is called data warehouse. A separate application has been made to access this achived data. A person can at any moment of time can fetch data from datawarehouse for various MIS reports. A separate application has been made to access this achived data. A person can at any moment of time can fetch data from datawarehouse for various MIS reports. Data Warehouse

Statistics of Parcel way bill issued through PMS at 7 stns

GROWTH OF PACKAGES AT DELHI DIVISION Packages in Lacs

Benefits Web-enabled to track latest position of the parcel Automatic freight calculation based on latest rules Reduction in human errors & manual intervention Reduction in time required for weighment and booking

Benefits (contd.) Loading strictly according to priority thereby curtailing malpractices and complaints Beneficial to Accounts for internal check Reduction in Claims Potential for revenue generation based on improvement in service.

Computerization of Cloak room and Lost Parcel Offices will be done in Phase II RFID technology will be considered in phase II for godown management Further enhancements

RFID This is another technique of detecting item through radio frequency identification (RFID). This is another technique of detecting item through radio frequency identification (RFID). Item is tagged with miniature antenna for detecting frequency of particular ID assigned to a item by RFID software. Item is tagged with miniature antenna for detecting frequency of particular ID assigned to a item by RFID software. RFID readers detects the item by generating frequency corresponding to Tag ID given to item. RFID readers detects the item by generating frequency corresponding to Tag ID given to item.

RFID (contd.) Vulnerability to compromise The protected material may be wrapped in two to three layers of ordinary household foil to block the radio signal. The protected material may be wrapped in two to three layers of ordinary household foil to block the radio signal. By placing two items against one another so that one tag overlays another. That may cancel out the signals. This requires knowledge of the technology and careful alignment. By placing two items against one another so that one tag overlays another. That may cancel out the signals. This requires knowledge of the technology and careful alignment. Keeping in view the working environment, possibility of RFID tag being lost during transit is high. Keeping in view the working environment, possibility of RFID tag being lost during transit is high.

Feasible only on tracking large items like containers containing large no. parcels. Feasible only on tracking large items like containers containing large no. parcels. Item based tracking would be costly solution Item based tracking would be costly solution Server>5,00,000 Server>5,00,000 RF Detection System>1,25,000 RF Detection System>1,25,000 Tag(Passive)50 Tag(Passive)50 Tag (Active)>1000 Tag (Active)>1000 Readers20,000 – 75,000 Antennas>1,00,000 Printers1,00, ,50,0000

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