Problem / Objective:

In 2019, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) informed the parliament about flies, insects, dust, rats, and cockroaches found in trains and food items. CAG also mentioned that unpurified water straight from the tap was used to prepare beverages and waste bins were found without covers.

Solution / Approach:

To resolve this issue and to ensure the quality of food, the Indian Railways co-developed an AI-powered system with Delhi based startup WOBOT to ensure meals are prepared in hygienic conditions. High definition CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the preparation of food in real-time and to ensure chefs are adhering to hygienic requirements at the kitchens. The AI system helps to detect rodent activities and deficiencies in hygiene. It is configured to ensure that high standards of hygiene are met.

For instance, if the system detects a rodent or cockroach in one of the kitchens, it will automatically raise a red flag. The AI module can detect an unexpected change or an event that does not conform to the expected pattern using their machine learning algorithms and complaint-generating ticket-based mechanism.

Sixteen kitchens of IRCTC have been fitted with high definition cameras. These cameras are connected to huge monitors for AI vision detection. The live stream of these 16 kitchens is played live in Delhi headquarters. Whenever the system raises a red flag, and the concerned kitchen or contractor fails to take the necessary actions within the stipulated time, the complaint ticket is automatically forwarded to higher officials, finally reaching the IRCTC MD. The module does not rely much on human intervention. Everything from the complaint ticket generation to tracking the redressal is taken care of by the AI-enabled software.

Impact / Implementation:

The India Railways is expanding the program by adding more number of kitchens.