DMRC is exploring AI for crowd management, train maintenance
NEW DELHI: The DMRC is planning to employ the use of artificial intelligence in its Phase-4 project for crowd management and maintenance of trains in order to increase efficiency, officials said.
In an interview, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Managing Director Vikas Kumar said that as far as technology is concerned, metro has always kept pace with the technological innovations and they are always following that.
“The technology has been quite disruptive like it immediately changes the complete scenario and so fast the technology is evolving, we also, like driverless metro is a product of that only, and if you take this as corollary, what future it holds that is immense because driverless is one stage where you do not require crew or crew scheduling, only at the click of the button, you can start the train and it will move,” Kumar said.
“What happens now, supposing somewhere sudden demand is there sudden rush has come even you have not planned for that earlier. With the driverless train, you can immediately induct a train. Otherwise to induct a train with driver you need to arrange for a driver first,” he added.
“At the same time, if crowd is not there, it can be optimised. The metro can have variable composition train in phase-4 project like three coach and six coach composition. The composition of trains can be changed. When there is less demand, the six coach train would be split into three coach trains,” Kumar said.
“Lesser number of trains would be able to cater for that demand. You need not run a six cart train, it will run empty otherwise. You don’t have that much demand so you will optimise and save running cost as well as maintenance cost. Similarly in the peak hours, you can club the three unit trains into a six and move it,” he added.
Other activities are like monitoring through CCTV cameras and facial recognition is also there. Crowd control through the camera and other technology that would also be there in future definitely and they are working on that, Kumar further stated.
The DMRC MD said technology with AI will give proper optimised results.
“So here also the running of train is the technology you can split. But if you in fact club it with AI, like AI is sitting on top of decision making processes, then it tends to give a much more excellent and efficient decision. It is a very nascent field, so a lot of development is required and AI the more affective it is, the more data you have then only you will be able to give a better AI which will predict. So as a result of AI predictive, maintenance can also be there. We are working in that also,” Kumar said.
DMRC’s Principal Executive Director Anuj Dayal discussed leveraging AI for predictive maintenance, eliminating the need for scheduled gearbox inspections. He mentioned plans for running trains with different coach combinations based on traffic needs in Phase-4, compatible with driverless operations like the Magenta and Pink lines. A total of 312 coaches are being procured. MD Kumar stated that DMRC faced losses during Covid but now has operational profits, covering operation and maintenance costs through ticketing and non-fare revenue.
However, loan repayments pose a challenge, and future EMIs will increase. Kumar emphasized boosting non-fare revenue, especially as businesses return post-Covid. Marketing vacant office spaces and expanding the metro network in Delhi NCR are current focuses. Discussions with CISF will lead to more dustbins for security and cleanliness.
