Revolutionizing Railway Safety: AI Surveillance System Unveiled in Northeast India

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and IIT Guwahati unveil DRISHTI, an AI-based surveillance system designed to improve freight safety by monitoring wagon locks. The system, developed for NFR's freight network, utilizes AI and machine learning for real-time anomaly detection, promising enhanced transparency and security.

In a joint initiative to enhance railway safety, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation (IITG TIDF) presented an advanced AI-based surveillance system, DRISHTI, at the N.F. Railway Headquarters in Guwahati on Thursday. According to a press release by the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, the presentation highlighted the system's capabilities in revolutionizing goods wagon security.

The presentation was organized under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on November 19, 2024, between NFR and IIT Guwahati, aimed at developing intelligent freight monitoring solutions. Attended by senior officials, including the NFR General Manager and heads of departments, the discussions centered on integrating AI-driven surveillance into NFR's operations to address critical safety challenges.

The necessity for an automated solution arose from significant operational risks involving unlocked or tampered doors in moving freight. Traditional manual checks being inefficient, this collaboration sought to introduce real-time monitoring using sophisticated computer vision and machine learning, offering immediate alerts without hindering train operations.

The AI-based system, DRISHTI, promises to bring heightened transparency and reliability by delivering live updates on lock conditions and detecting irregularities during transit. This advancement is expected to boost wagon sealing integrity while reducing manual oversight, as demonstrated through successful prototypes trials for the past ten months.

Integrating AI-powered cameras strategically across selected wagons, the system has shown promising results in monitoring door conditions with high accuracy. Plans for further refinements and network-wide deployment are in motion, advancing the goal of increased security and operational efficiency across the NFR network.

(With inputs from agencies.)