DFCCIL, IISc sign MoU to advance Indigenous Broken Rail Detection Technology for Indian Railways

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): In a major step toward enhancing railway safety through indigenous innovation, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have signed a second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of Broken Rail Detection Technology.

The MoU was formally exchanged between Praveen Kumar, IRSE, Managing Director of DFCCIL, and Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc. The signing also involved key entities including the Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) at IISc and an IISc-incubated startup focused on railway technologies.

Driving Railway Safety with Indigenous Innovation

The collaboration aims to deliver next-generation safety and monitoring technologies to the Indian Railways, with Broken Rail Detection identified as a high-priority area. This critical innovation will help detect fractures in railway tracks before they can lead to serious accidents, aligning with the national vision of an accident-free railway network by 2030.

“Innovate in India, for India is our guiding mantra,” said Prof. Rangarajan. “IISc is committed to supporting the Indian Railways in achieving world-class safety and operational efficiency through deep-tech solutions.”

Key Takeaways from the Second MoU:

• Focus on Railway Safety: Broken rail detection is critical for accident prevention.

• Indigenous Technology: DFCCIL and Indian Railways are committed to sourcing and developing technologies within India.

• Startup Collaboration: IISc is actively guiding its incubated startup to transform breakthrough research into deployable railway safety solutions.

• Vision 2030: The partnership aims to contribute to Indian Railways' goal of achieving zero-accident operations by 2030.

A Proven Track Record of Innovation

This new agreement builds on the success of the first MoU signed three years ago, which led to the development of Automatic Train Examination using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Under IISc's mentorship, its railway-focused startup created and deployed this AI-powered system—now operational since August 2023 under DFCCIL and Indian Railways.

The technology, hosted at www.mvis.ai, has already demonstrated tangible impact by preventing approximately one potential accident per week, marking a significant leap in proactive railway safety management.

“Rail Innovations in India, for India—and to the World”

As Indian Railways accelerates toward modernization, partnerships with premier institutions like IISc ensure that technological innovation remains homegrown, scalable, and impactful. This latest MoU highlights a growing ecosystem of academia, startups, and public-sector collaboration aimed at making India a global leader in railway technology.