Rlys to deploy UAVs to monitor projects, oversee maintenance

The Railways on Monday stated that it will be deploying drones to monitor its projects, aid in crowd management and oversee maintenance work across its zones.

The move assumes significance in the backdrop of the Elphinstone station road bridge tragedy in Mumbai, in which 23 people had died in a stampede on September 29 last year.

Cameras ( UAV/ NETRA) will be used for various railway activities, especially project monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure, a statement issued by the railways said.

“Directions have been given to zonal railways to procure such cameras. This is in- line with Railways’ desire to use technology to enhance safety and efficiency in train operations,” it said.

The West Central Railways, headquartered at Jabalpur ( MP), is the first zonal railway to procure the drone cameras and it has already conducted a trial run of the cameras last week in all of its three divisions.

Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones shall be deployed to undertake monitoring activities of relief and rescue operation, project monitoring, progress of important works, conditions of track and inspection related activities, the statement said.

It shall also be used to assess preparedness of non- interlocking ( NI) works, crowd management during fairs, to identify scrap and also for aerial survey of station yards.

It is going to be instrumental in providing real time inputs related to safety and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure.