Railway projects to be drone monitored

Indian Railways has decided to deploy drone cameras (UAV/NETRA) for various railway activities – especially project monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure. It has directed Zonal Railways to procure such cameras. This is in-line with the Ministry of Railways’ desire to use technology to enhance safety and efficiency in train operations. Drone cameras will be deployed to undertake monitoring activities of relief and rescue operation, project monitoring, progress of important works, conditions of track and inspection related activities. It will also be used to assess the preparedness of Non-Interlocking (NI) works, crowd management during fairs and melas, to identify scrap and 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. Under this initiative, West Central Railways (WCR) headquartered at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, has become the first Zonal Railway to procure drone cameras in Indian Railways. WCR has already done a trial-run of those cameras last week on its all the three divisions in the following locations: 1) Jabalpur Division – Narmada Bridge near Bhitoni 2) Bhopal Division: (i) Nishatpura Yard (ii) Third Line work between HBJ-Misrod 3) Kota Division: (i) Chambal Bridge near Kota (ii) Dakania Talav Yard near Kota. WCR further plans to use drones for project monitoring in the third line work for Bina-Katni, doubling the work in Katni-Singrouli, improtant bridge inspections and preparing for monsoon in the deep ghat sections of Bhopal and Jabalpur. Earlier, a demonstration of the drone cameras was done for project monitoring of Railway Electrification work of Jabalpur Yard.