NEW DELHI: Drawing inspiration from the legendary focus of Arjuna from the Mahabharata, Indian Railways has, for the first time, introduced a humanoid robot named “ASC Arjun” under the East Coast Railway, marking a major step towards the use of advanced technology to enhance passenger interaction and railway security.
This initiative marks a significant step towards leveraging advanced technology to enhance passenger safety, security and service delivery.
The East Coast Railway has introduced a humanoid robot, “ASC ARJUN”, at Visakhapatnam Railway Station under the aegis of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), making it the first such deployment in Indian Railways.
The Ministry of Railways, sharing the development on Thursday evening, said that the humanoid was unveiled by Inspector General (RPF) Alok Bohra and Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Lalit Bohra in the presence of Senior Divisional Security Commandant (RPF) A K Dubey at Visakhapatnam Railway Station.
According to the Railways, the humanoid robot, deployed as part of the RPF’s modernisation and digital transformation initiatives, has been designed to supplement various railway operations, particularly in the areas of security, passenger assistance, crowd management, cleanliness monitoring and safety awareness.
The robot, named "ASC Arjuna", has been entirely designed and developed in Visakhapatnam, incorporating state-of-the-art technology through indigenous innovation. Under the guidance of Alok Bohra, Inspector General, RPF, and Lalit Bohra, Divisional Railway Manager, the team led by A K Dubey worked diligently for over one year to successfully develop this advanced technology, the Railways said in a statement late on Thursday evening.
Detailing the functions of the humanoid, the Railways said it will help to identify intruders using a Face Recognition System (FRS) and instantly alert RPF personnel through IoT-enabled alerts, ensuring rapid response and reduced detection time.
It will also be highly effective in AI-based passenger density analysis to prevent congestion and enable proactive crowd control measures during peak hours.
" The robot will send messages to the control and alert the security personnel for quick response", the Railways said.
In addition, autonomous safety and information announcements will be delivered in English, Hindi and Telugu, improving passenger awareness and compliance. The humanoid will also guide the public effectively during peak hours.
One of the most notable features is that ASC Arjuna will carry out semi-autonomous navigation along predefined paths with obstacle avoidance, allowing continuous patrolling and a 24×7 presence, thereby reducing the burden on manpower.
" The ASC ARJUN can interact with passengers through friendly gestures and information support, enhancing public trust and the perception of RPF authority", the Railways said, adding that continuous monitoring through an integrated dashboard will provide real-time intelligence to support effective decision-making by the RPF and control rooms.
In the event of a fire, ASC Arjuna will enable early detection of fire and smoke, sending instant alerts to ensure swift emergency response and enhanced passenger safety. The robot is also equipped to make multi-language announcements for safety instructions and crowd guidance. Notably, as a cultural gesture, ASC Arjuna will greet passengers with a Namaste and salute RPF officers.
According to Alok Bohra, IG (RPF), " the introduction of ASC ARJUN marks a pioneering initiative in adopting cutting-edge technology to strengthen railway security, improve passenger experience and support frontline staff".