Hyderabad: The South Central Railway (SCR) has introduced two artificial intelligence-based passenger information systems—‘Bholu Mini’ and ‘Bholu Max’—in Hyderabad on a pilot basis to improve railway enquiry services, reduce congestion at help desks, and provide real-time travel information to commuters. The initiative has been implemented in the Hyderabad division of SCR and was officially demonstrated at Rail Nilayam in Secunderabad in the presence of senior railway officials, marking a step towards digital transformation of passenger services.
The systems have been deployed at Malkajgiri railway station (Bholu Mini) and Kacheguda railway station (Bholu Max) as part of a trial rollout. Railway authorities said the performance and passenger feedback from these stations will determine future expansion across other major stations in the zone. The initiative is aimed at improving accessibility of information while reducing dependence on manual enquiry counters during peak hours.
SCR officials said both systems have been developed in-house and are designed to provide faster, automated, and multilingual responses to passenger queries, including train timings, platform numbers, station facilities, and route-related information. The systems are part of Indian Railways’ broader push towards integrating digital tools and artificial intelligence into public-facing services to improve efficiency and user experience.
Voice-based regional access and multilingual expansion
‘Bholu Mini’ is designed as a voice-enabled AI kiosk primarily for Telugu-speaking passengers, allowing users to interact through simple voice commands. Once activated, the system provides information such as train schedules, platform details, and station services. Officials said the goal is to make railway information more accessible to local commuters who prefer regional language communication.
In contrast, ‘Bholu Max’ is a more advanced system that combines touchscreen and voice-based interaction features. It supports up to 12 Indian languages, enabling passengers from different linguistic backgrounds to access travel-related information easily. The system also provides live train updates and navigation assistance within stations, making it more comprehensive in scope compared to the basic version.
According to SCR, both systems are equipped with AI-driven software capable of processing passenger queries in real time. The technology is expected to reduce crowding at enquiry counters and improve service efficiency, particularly in high-traffic stations.
Trial rollout and future expansion plans
Railway officials stated that the systems are currently being tested under real-world conditions as part of a proof-of-concept deployment. Based on usage data, performance monitoring, and passenger feedback, necessary modifications will be made to improve functionality and user experience before wider implementation.
SCR has indicated that, if successful, the AI-based kiosks could be expanded to other major stations across the South Central Railway zone, forming part of a broader digital upgrade of passenger services. The initiative aligns with Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to modernise station infrastructure through automation, smart kiosks, and real-time information systems.
Officials added that the introduction of such AI-based assistants is intended to improve operational efficiency by reducing workload on manual enquiry counters while ensuring that passengers receive accurate and timely information.
The deployment of ‘Bholu Mini’ and ‘Bholu Max’ reflects the railway’s increasing focus on technology-driven passenger services, with emphasis on accessibility, multilingual communication, and real-time assistance across its network.
