The government has launched a website to help implement the Indian Railway Innovation Policy. This portal will accept applications from start-ups that create cost-effective, scalable solutions and functional prototypes for the national transportation system.
The Indian Railways plans to invest up to Rs 1.5 crore in these start-ups as seed capital. According to an official presentation, the grant can be doubled to up to Rs 3 crore during the scaling-up stage for wider proliferation. The Indian Railways will provide this assistance in the form of a 50% capital grant, as well as a guaranteed market, scale, and ecosystem.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told journalists that the start-ups must provide solutions that address at least one of the eleven identified Problem Areas.
These problem areas include, among others, the Broken Rail Detection System, the Rail Stress Monitoring System, the Headway Improvement System for the Suburban Section that is interoperable with Indian Railways, and the Automation of Track Inspection Activities.
Superior Elastomeric Pad (EM Pad) Design for Heavy Haul Freight Wagons, Problem areas include the development of an on-line Condition Monitoring System for the traction motors of 3-phase electric locomotives, a light-weight wagon for transporting commodities such as salt, the development of an analytical tool using digital data to improve passenger services, and the development of a track cleaning machine.
It is also necessary to address the need for an app for post-training revision and self-service refresher courses, as well as the use of remote sensing, geomatics, and GIS for bridge inspection. According to the Railways, more Problem Statements have been collected, which are being reviewed and will be added to this list later.
