Indian state railway IR has introduced a railway technology policy to improve efficiency, governance, safety and financial performance through new technologies. To this end, a technology portal has been announced through which proposals can be submitted in a simplified, single-stage process. Indian Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw cited AI-assisted detection of fires in trains and animals, such as elephants, on tracks in the north-eastern states as examples of use cases. Drones will also be used to identify obstacles as well as broken rails. IR increased funding for scaling by more than 200%, with additional funds available for prototypes and field tests. The strategy is part of a one-year programme announced by IR to systematically improve maintenance and operations by implementing one major reform each week.
