Northeast Frontier Railway has introduced Project DRISHTI, an artificial intelligence system to monitor the doors, locks and seals of freight wagons. The system, developed with IIT Guwahati, was inaugurated at the railway zone’s headquarters in Maligaon, Guwahati, on September 25.

As trains pass designated monitoring points, the system uses high-speed cameras, intelligent lighting, secure networking and AI to identify wagon numbers and assess the condition of doors, locks and seals. It flags possible irregularities or pilferage and records inspection findings digitally so railway personnel can act quickly.

General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava said freight transport is critical to supply chains and the regional economy, noting that difficult geography makes road transport tough in the Northeast and railways a lifeline there. He added that checking wagon doors was earlier done manually, which was slow and challenging at night and in bad weather.

Why it matters: automated inspection promises faster detection of tampering, safer consignments, fewer delays and less strain on frontline staff including the Railway Protection Force.