Kumar Bahukhandi
Railway Minister launching the Rail Tech Portal (Photo: Ashwini Vaishnav/X)
The Railway Minister has launched the Rail Tech Portal. It will not only benefit AI innovators but also ordinary passengers in the future. If the government approves of startups’ ideas, they may also receive grants.
New Delhi : Rail Tech Portal and e-RCT were launched by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav. The government says this will accelerate innovation within the Railways and digitise the claims process.
This initiative is part of a larger package of railway reforms that aims to make the system faster, more transparent, and tech-friendly.
The Rail Tech Portal aims to connect everyday railway problems directly with tech companies, startups, and research teams. Innovators will now be able to submit their solutions directly to the portal. The Railways will select these ideas and test them as pilot projects.
If the results are positive, they will be implemented on a larger scale. This could reduce the time required to adopt new technology.
Monitoring will be possible using AI
This initiative focuses on areas such as AI, safety, track monitoring, coach fire warning systems, energy savings, and maintenance.
The Railways has been working on these issues for a long time, but new solutions take time to reach the surface. The Rail Tech Portal is being touted as a way to bridge this gap.
This portal can provide innovators not only with opportunities but also with access to funding. The Railways already provides financial assistance to startups and research teams to develop and test prototypes.
Selected ideas in the new system will have the opportunity to be piloted in collaboration with the Railways. Development and trial costs may be subsidized by the Railways.
Innovators will receive grants
The government says this will make it easier for small startups and new innovators to work with the Railways. However, this funding is not direct funding. This is project-based support, which will depend on the selected solution.
This means that the Rail Tech Portal is not a scheme or subsidy platform for startups. Only solutions that are aligned with the railway’s needs and pass testing will be eligible for advancement.
Only if a technology proves useful for the railways will it receive further support. This will reduce the likelihood of useless or paper-based ideas being promoted.
The impact on passengers will be indirect. If technology related to safety, track monitoring, and maintenance is implemented on the ground, the risk of train accidents can be reduced.
Incidents like technical faults or fires in coaches can be identified earlier. Improved maintenance can also reduce problems like train delays. However, this impact will be seen gradually, as implementing technology across a large network takes time.
e-RCT will be fast
Also, the Railway Claims Tribunal process has been digitized through e-RCT. Claim filing and tracking will now be online. This will reduce the need for ordinary passengers to visit offices. Case status can be viewed from mobile phones or computers. The government claims this will make the process more transparent, but the real difference will be seen when the speed of case resolution increases on the ground.
The Railways has previously implemented several digital initiatives, some successful, while others had limited impact. Therefore, the true test of this new initiative will be on the ground. If the solutions selected on the Rail Tech Portal are implemented on time and the speed of case resolution through e-RCT truly increases, it will be considered a solid start to railway reform. Otherwise, it may remain just another portal.
