Indian Railways, one of the largest employers in the world often gets criticized for its track maintenance record. Things could change soon thanks to emerging technologies and here we are talking about the power of AI to bring in a positive change in the performance of Indian Railways.
According to officials, railways will employ AI in a way that it can detect the conditions of the railway tracks. Indian Railways is working towards enhancing promptness of trains and arrange a repair and renewal schedule. Indian Railways can automate the scheduling of tasks like routine maintenance check and replacement with the help of advanced technology.
The Railways is deploying new tech to make sure that at least 90% of trains run on time. AI will also predict the life of the track joints and tracks, thereby reducing the instances of mishaps. It can even curtail the effects of train delays and plan all major maintenance blocks periodically.
This is not the first time that the Indian Railways has used Artificial Intelligence to improve its operations and services. Earlier this year in May, the Indian Railways took a concrete step by deploying an AI-based solution to provide hygienic food to its customers. This system called ‘Obot’ could automatically detect the presence of any insect or rodent in the base kitchens, and also track whether the chef is wearing the mandatory uniform, including the hat.
Even last year, the Indian Railways sketched out a plan to use Artificial Intelligence to reduce the number of accidents on its tracks. As it stated in a documented plan, sensors will collect information on the durability of the tracks and system, which will help officials to foresee any potential accidents or malfunctions in real-time. The technology will help schedule the repair work for the specific problem before disaster strikes.
The system can provide an advice to the officials regarding the decisions they must take. Instead of manually looking after the above issues, technology will help in simplifying them. This predictive maintenance system will change the face of Indian Railways dramatically when it comes into use, decreasing the derailments that cause around 60% of the rail accidents in our country.
With Artificial Intelligence being employed in so many ways, the future of Indian Railways looks bright. Only time will tell whether the Indian Railways can live up to their promises or not.