NEW DELHI: In a first for Indian Railways, the East Coast Railway has introduced a humanoid robot named “ASC Arjun” at Visakhapatnam Railway Station under the aegis of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), marking a significant step towards leveraging advanced technology to enhance passenger safety, security and service delivery.
The Ministry of Railways said on Thursday that the humanoid robot 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.
Drawing a parallel with Arjun from the Mahabharata and his intense focus on the target, the Railways said the robot has been designed to operate with precision and efficiency.
Deployed as part of the RPF’s modernisation and digital transformation initiatives, ASC Arjun is intended to supplement railway operations, particularly in the areas of security, passenger assistance, crowd management, cleanliness monitoring and safety awareness.
According to the Railways, the humanoid robot has been entirely designed and developed in Visakhapatnam 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 for over a year to develop the advanced system.
Detailing its functions, the Railways said the robot will help identify intruders using a Face Recognition System (FRS) and instantly alert RPF personnel through IoT enabled alerts, ensuring a rapid response and reduced detection time.
It will also assist 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.
The humanoid will deliver autonomous safety and information announcements in English, Hindi and Telugu, improving passenger awareness and compliance, and guide the public effectively during peak hours.
It is also capable of semi autonomous navigation along predefined paths with obstacle avoidance, allowing continuous patrolling and a 24×7 presence, thereby reducing manpower burden.
“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 RPF personnel and control rooms.
In the event of a fire, ASC Arjun will enable early detection of fire and smoke and send instant alerts to facilitate a swift emergency response and enhance passenger safety.
It is equipped to make multi language announcements for safety instructions and crowd guidance. As a cultural gesture, the robot will also perform a Namaste for passengers 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.