Eyes on the Rails: Western Railway Rolls Out AI Cameras for Safer Engines

Image Source: Times of India

In one of the largest technologybased safety projects, Western Railway (WR) is fitting artificial intelligenceequipped cameras on 978 of its freight and passenger locomotives to boost vigilance, responsibility, and rapid response to accidents.

Key Highlights:

Installation will be done on 810 electric and 168 diesel engines on WR's network, including the Mumbai division.
Six highresolution, highdefinition CCTV cameras in each engine: two inside the driving cabins, four outside on each side, and one additional camera for peripheral scanning.
These 360degree cameras will feature an offline mode to prevent data leakage and provide secure storage.

Safety and Surveillance Increase

The AI system will monitor track conditions, railroad crossings, and activity nearby in real time.
When unusual track movement is detected, the cameras will help determine the causes of accidents and provide better analysis of incidents.
The video will also facilitate postincident investigations and provide valuable information at times of crisis.

Implementation Timeline:

The project, valued at around Rs 100 crore, would be done on a tender basis. WR is prioritizing suppliers with the capacity to provide hardware and proprietary software, and installation should be completed by March 2026.

Strategic Impact:

The step is part of Indian Railways' overall thrust towards technologybased safety infrastructure. It is a significant step towards engine modernization and eradicating human error in highrisk zones.

Sources: Indian Express, UNI India