Smart Metro Track Security System for Suicide Prevention

Abstract

Metro rail systems are an essential mode of urban transportation, but they face serious safety challenges such as unauthorized track access and suicide attempts. This paper presents a Smart Metro Track Security System designed to enhance passenger safety using an automated embedded approach. The system integrates ultrasonic sensors for train detection and a laser–LDR mechanism for human intrusion detection. An Arduino microcontroller processes real-time data and activates safety measures such as automatic gate control, alarm generation, and power cutoff using a relay module. The system ensures immediate response to dangerous situations without human intervention. Experimental results demonstrate reliable performance under various scenarios including train arrival, departure, and intrusion detection. The proposed system is cost-effective, efficient, and suitable for real-world metro safety applications.

Introduction

This paper presents a Smart Metro Track Security System designed to prevent accidents and suicide attempts in metro stations through real-time monitoring and automated emergency response. With the rapid expansion of metro networks, unauthorized access to railway tracks has become a major safety concern, leading to fatalities, service disruptions, and operational challenges. Traditional monitoring methods such as CCTV and manual surveillance often suffer from delayed response times and dependence on human operators.

The proposed system integrates ultrasonic sensors, a laser-LDR intrusion detection mechanism, and an Arduino UNO microcontroller to continuously monitor train movement and detect human intrusion onto metro tracks. When an unauthorized person enters the track area, the system instantly activates safety measures, including sounding a buzzer alarm, displaying warning messages, illuminating LEDs, and cutting off power supply through a relay module to prevent train movement. Servo motors are also used for automatic platform gate control during train arrival and departure.

The methodology involves detecting train arrival and departure using ultrasonic sensors, monitoring track intrusion through interruption of a laser beam received by an LDR sensor, and executing immediate emergency responses when hazardous situations are identified. The system automatically resets and resumes monitoring once the danger is removed.

Experimental testing demonstrated that the system reliably detected approaching and departing trains, successfully controlled platform gates, and accurately identified human intrusion in real time. The emergency response mechanisms were activated with minimal delay, significantly enhancing safety. The system proved to be cost-effective, efficient, and easy to implement, making it suitable for integration into existing metro infrastructure.

Although environmental conditions such as lighting and sensor alignment can affect performance, the proposed solution offers significant advantages, including reduced human dependency, accident prevention, real-time monitoring, and automated operation. Future enhancements include AI-based monitoring, IoT integration, mobile alert systems, and cloud-based data storage to further improve safety, scalability, and operational efficiency in modern metro systems.

Conclusion

The proposed Smart Metro Track Security System provides an effective and reliable solution to enhance safety in metro rail environments. By integrating ultrasonic sensors for train detection and a laser–LDR mechanism for human intrusion detection, the system is capable of continuously monitoring track conditions in real time. The use of an Arduino-based embedded system enables automated decision-making and rapid response without the need for human intervention.Upon detecting a hazardous situation, the system promptly activates safety measures such as gate control, alarm generation, visual alerts, and power cutoff using a relay module. This immediate response helps in preventing accidents and reducing the risk of suicide attempts on metro tracks. The experimental results demonstrate that the system performs efficiently under different scenarios, including train arrival, departure, and intrusion detection. Overall, the system is cost-effective, easy to implement, and suitable for enhancing passenger safety in metro stations. Although the current design is a prototype, it has significant potential for real-world applications with further improvements such as integration of IoT technologies, advanced sensors, and intelligent monitoring systems. The proposed solution contributes toward building safer and smarter metro transportation systems.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Prof. Arshiya Ruheen, Sanjay Prasad K N, Shankaragouda Patil, Sushma H M, Thejasvini P. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.