Drones to help curb rail mishaps

DRONES WILL BE USED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE TRACKS AND ALSO RAILWAY PROPERTY IN ISOLATED PLACES

KANPUR: The Northern Central Railway (NCR) has planned to deploy drone cameras to ‘keep an eye’ on rail tracks in an attempt to curb train accidents,

The high resolution cameras will take pictures from a height of 30 to 40 metres and also maintain surveillance over fish plates, pedal clips and fractures, if any, on the track.

Track fracture has been a major cause for a number of rail mishaps, which have occurred after the Indore-patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan killing 153 people and more than 200 were injured. Since then, four major trains have derailed on the Kanpur-delhi route and one on the Kanpur-jhansi route— all due to fractured tracks.

The drones would be connected with computer networks at various railway stations for monitoring and speedy action.

These cameras would be installed at almost all important Northern Central Railway railway stations especially in areas, which had frequent train mishaps, sources said.

Chief public relations officer of NCR GK Bansal said the railway board had approved the plan. These cameras would also keep an eye on railway property in isolated areas. He further said drone cameras would be used for ensuring the safety and security of railway property and of railway tracks as well.