Robotic railway cop debuts in Bhubaneswar station | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Wednesday launched robotic policing in Bhubaneswar with the deployment of a wheeled robot, aka rover, equipped with AI‑powered cameras and facial recognition technology to bolster passenger safety and station security.Unveiling the rover, ECoR general manager Parmeshwar Funkwal described it as a “force multiplier” for railway policing. The rover is named DSC ARJUN—Dedicated Security Chassis Advanced Railway Junction under Network‑enabled surveillance.“Through continuous monitoring and intelligent analytics, rover DSC ARJUN will assist the railway protection force in preventing crime, managing passenger movement during peak hours, protecting railway assets and responding effectively during emergencies such as fire, medical incidents and security situations,” Funkwal said.Officials said DSC ARJUN is an advanced version of ASC ARJUN, the humanoid robot‑cop introduced at Visakhapatnam station in Jan. “The newly developed DSC ARJUN represents the next stage in this technological evolution by integrating AI‑enabled surveillance and analytics into a comprehensive railway security platform,” Funkwal added.Key features of the mobile robot include facial recognition software to identify intruders and offenders. Powered by artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning and internet of things (IoT) technologies, the rover is designed to support RPF personnel in delivering proactive and responsive security services.“If we feed photos of anti‑socials, wanted criminals or even missing persons into the rover’s database, its facial recognition cameras can automatically detect them in dense crowds and flag the RPF,” another official said.Developed at a cost of about Rs 40 lakh, the robotic surveillance platform carries six advanced AI cameras. It can count passenger footfall, raise alarms during crowd surges, and issue public announcements to share security alerts and safety advisories.“DSC ARJUN is capable of round‑the‑clock surveillance and intelligent monitoring. Its advanced features—facial recognition, real‑time crowd analytics, passenger head count, unattended baggage detection, suspicious activity alerts, live video streaming and instant notifications—significantly enhance situational awareness and strengthen preventive policing,” the official said.The robotic platform, which will remain deployed at Bhubaneswar station, is likely to be positioned at Puri for Bahuda Yatra on Friday. It can operate across platforms, concourses, booking offices, waiting halls, parking zones and other vulnerable locations. The rover delivers autonomous safety announcements in Odia, Hindi and English, ensuring wider passenger awareness and safety compliance.
