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 and enhance security.
It has been given directions 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.
“Drone” cameras 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. It shall also be used to assess preparedness of Non-Interlocking (NI) works, crowd management during fairs and melas, 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.
Under this initiative, West Central Railways with headquarter at Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) has become the first Zonal Railway to procure “Drone” cameras in Indian Railways. West Central Railways has already done a trial-run of those cameras last week on its all the three divisions in the following locations.
- Jabalpur Division – Narmada Bridge near Bhitoni
- Bhopal Division – (i) Nishatpura Yard; (ii) Third Line work between HBJ – Misrod.
- Kota Division – (i) Chambal Bridge near Kota; (ii) Dakania Talav Yard near Kota.
The West Central Railway with its headquarters at Jabalpur comprises of Jabalpur and Bhopal divisions of erstwhile Central Railway and Kota division of erstwhile Western Railway. The formal gazette notification announcing the formation of this new zonal railway was issued on 4th July 2002 by the Ministry of Railway, Govt. of India.
WCR (West Central Railways) further plans to use Drone for project monitoring in 3rd line work of Bina-Katni, Doubling work in Katni-Singrouli, Important Bridge inspections and Mansoon preparedness in deep cutting portions of Ghat Sections of Bhopal and Jabalpur Divisions. Earlier, demonstration of “Drone” camera was done for project monitoring of Railway Electrification work of Jabalpur Yard.
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