Indian Railways, DFCCIL to boost train safety with AI technology

New Delhi: In a bid to improve service efficiency and automate the maintenance of rolling stock, Indian Railways has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) for the installation of Machine Vision Based Inspection System (MVIS) to boost train safety.

MVIS is a modern, AI and ML-based technology solution deployed on wayside that captures high-resolution images of the under-gear of moving trains and automatically detects any hanging, loose, or missing components.

On detecting anomalies, the system generates real-time alerts to facilitate prompt response and preventive action, according to an official statement.

The MoU was formally signed by Sumit Kumar, Director (Project and Development), Railway Board, and Jawahar Lal, GGM (Mechanical), DFCCIL at Rail Bhawan here.

In a significant step toward adopting cutting-edge technologies, DFCCIL will be responsible for the procurement, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of four MVIS units.

This revolutionary system marks a first for Indian Railways. The technology is expected to significantly enhance the safety of train operations, reduce manual inspection efforts and help avoid potential accidents/service disruptions.

“This initiative also aligns with IR’s broader objective of introducing modern, intelligent systems to the railway ecosystem. The signing of this MoU is poised to open new avenues for digital transformation in rail safety in building a future-ready rail infrastructure,” said the ministry.

The MVIS will boost train safety, reduce manual inspection and prevent service disruptions.

Meanwhile, Indian Railways has already handed out over 9,000 appointment letters in the first quarter of the financial year 2025-26 (Q1 FY26), and is on track to offer more than 50,000 jobs by the end of this fiscal year.

The Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) have been actively conducting large-scale recruitment drives to fill various positions. Since November 2024, the RRBs have held Computer-Based Tests (CBTs) for over 1.86 crore candidates across the country for seven different recruitment notifications.

—IANS