New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Commuters trapped inside elevators at Namo Bharat stations may soon get faster assistance, with the NCRTC introducing an AI-powered system that can detect entrapment within 60 seconds and trigger an emergency response.
Developed in-house by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the system uses AI-enabled camera analytics to monitor lift enclosures in real time and identify emergencies quickly, helping reduce response time and ensuring faster passenger evacuation, an official told PTI.
If a passenger is trapped, the system detects the situation within a minute and sends alerts to the Namo Bharat Operations Control Centre (OCC) through integrated communication channels, including instant messages, he said.
An alarm is also triggered at the lift’s location, enabling station staff to respond swiftly and initiate evacuation. If the passenger is not rescued within the next 60 seconds, the alert is automatically escalated to a “critical” level to ensure urgent attention, the official added.
Earlier, commuters had to rely on manually pressing alarm buttons or using intercom systems to alert staff, he said.
The new mechanism automates detection, alert generation and escalation until the issue is resolved, he added.
“A key feature of the solution is that it has been developed entirely in-house by the NCRTC using the existing CCTV network and on-premises infrastructure, making it a highly cost-effective, secure and scalable safety mechanism,” the official said.
He added that the system operates fully offline, with all data processing carried out within a secure CCTV network and without any dependency on internet connectivity or Cloud platforms, ensuring data security, operational reliability and protection.
The official explained that if a commuter gets trapped in a lift at the Ghaziabad Namo Bharat station while travelling between the concourse and platform levels, the system can detect the situation within 60 seconds and immediately send alerts to both the OCC and the station control staff.
Simultaneously, an alarm is activated at the site, and the alerts continue until the passenger is safely evacuated and the issue is resolved, he said.
According to the NCRTC, the solution also has strong potential for replication across a wide range of public infrastructure environments, including Metro systems, railways, airports, hospitals, commercial establishments and industrial facilities.
The initiative reflects the NCRTC’s efforts to leverage advanced technologies to enhance commuter safety and build reliable public transport systems, the official said.
