Railways Deploy AI, Drones for Safety: New Tech Policy Unveiled

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said technological improvement in the national transporter is a continuous process and several systems have been introduced or tested on a pilot basis.

He highlighted several systems deployed over Indian Railways, such as the Machine Vision Inspection System (MVIS), the Wheel Impact Load Detector (WILD), the Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS), the Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS), and the Overhead Equipment (OHE).

The minister described the MVIS as an AI and machine learning-based solution designed to detect hanging, loose, or missing components in moving trains.

According to him, three MVIS units have been installed in the Northeast Frontier Railway, two in the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited and one in the South East Central Railway on a pilot basis for freight stock.

Indian Railways has also signed a memorandum of understanding with DFCCIL to induct four additional MVIS units across its network for freight rolling stock.

The minister said the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) is also developing MVIS technology for rolling stock in collaboration with the industry.

Another system, the Wheel Impact Load Detector (WILD), identifies defective wheels in rolling stock by measuring the impact of wheels on tracks.

"A total of 24 such systems have been installed across the railway network," he said.

Similarly, the Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS) system monitors the condition of bearings and wheels.

So far, 25 OMRS systems have been installed, including one at Sirpur Kaghaznagar in the Secunderabad Division of the South Central Railway, the minister said.

For track inspection, the ITMS have been deployed to detect defects in rails, sleepers and fastenings using machine learning and image processing.

The Railways has also initiated drone-based monitoring of OHE with thermal imaging in the Raipur division on a pilot basis.

Moreover, the RDSO is developing TRI-Netra (Terrain Imaging for Locomotive Drivers), a system that combines optical cameras, infrared cameras and ranging devices such as radar or lidar to assist loco pilots during foggy or adverse weather conditions.

Vaishnaw also informed the house that the government has adopted a new Rail Tech Policy on February 26, to promote innovation and faster adoption of emerging technologies.

- IANS