A Low-Cost, AI-Enabled EMP-Based Deterrent to Prevent Track Crossing Deaths

Namaskar .

This is to draw your kind attention to an urgent and persistent challenge that has

plagued Mumbai's lifeline for years — deaths due to track-crossing and

overcrowding on local trains. Despite your ministry’s commendable strides in

safety (such as the KAVACH system for train collision avoidance), the human cost

on suburban routes, particularly in Mumbai, remains alarming.

A quick look at the most recent 3-year data tells the story:

Year	Total Deaths	Deaths from Crossing Tracks	Deaths from Falling off Trains
2022	2,507	~1,200 (estimated)	~550 (estimated)
2023	2,590	1,277	590
2024	2,468	1,151	570

This shows that over 3,600 lives have been lost to track-crossing in just three

years — preventable tragedies that deserve urgent attention.

In 2016, I had suggested a radically simple idea:

What if we could make crossing the tracks digitally fatal to the offender’s mobile

phone — without harming the person?

The concept involved installing low-intensity, pulsed Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)

devices along the tracks. When activated (say, once per second), they would

incapacitate any active mobile phone in the immediate area — turning a “near-

miss” into a digitally punishing experience.

With today's advances in AI, sensor networks, and miniaturized electronics, this

idea may be more feasible, economical, and scalable than ever before. In fact,

the technology landscape now offers multiple deterrent options, which I tabulate

below for your kind consideration:

S.No	Technology Suggestion	Feasibility (2025)	Estimated Installation Cost
1	Track-mounted Controlled EMP Pulse to fry mobile circuits of trespassers	High	Low (~₹2–3 lakh per station)
2	AI-based Track Trespass Detection Cameras + Sirens	Very High	Moderate
3	Train-mounted High-Pitch Ultrasonic Crowd Repellers	Medium	Moderate to High
4	Rail-side Miniature Sound Cannons for high-decibel burst as train approaches	High	Low
5	AI-triggered Alerts to Nearby Phones via Cell Broadcast / Flash SMS	High	Negligible
6	Flashing Red Track Lights + Strobe Warning System	Very High	Low
7	Physical deterrents like steel spike strips (retractable)	Medium	Moderate

All of these can be pilot-tested within 3 months at select high-death zones like

Kurla, Dadar, Borivali, and Kalyan.

I strongly believe that even a few “fried phones” or a painful sonic warning

will change behavioural psychology more effectively than caution boards or

awareness campaigns.

Shri Vaishnaw ji,

- the KAVACH initiative shows your firm commitment to technology-first safety

solutions. Here lies an opportunity to extend that spirit to pedestrian safety, using

simple innovations that can save thousands of lives annually with minimal

investment.

If required, I would be happy to elaborate further or help present this idea to your

technology teams or RDSO.

Warm regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai | www.IndiaAGI.ai

Monday, 21 July 2025