"Railways Backs 23 Innovation Projects by Startups"

Indian Railways has allocated ₹43.87 crore to startups for 23 innovation projects aimed at enhancing services provided by the national transporter. This initiative addresses 15 problem statements identified to improve various aspects of railway operations, according to an official statement.

Since the launch of an innovation portal in June 2022 to solicit ideas from startups, Indian Railways has received a total of 423 proposals for 28 different problem statements. The railway's contribution to these projects amounts to approximately ₹10.52 crore in grants to eligible startups.

Among the projects, startups are focusing on developing superior elastomeric pads for heavy haul freight wagons, lightweight wagons for transporting commodities such as salt, rail stress monitoring systems, and advanced track inspection technologies. Additionally, efforts are underway to address issues related to the Broken Rail system, track cleaning machines, and the development of sensor-based load calculation devices equipped with audio-visual alarms.

ET