Indian Railways to deploy drones for monitoring and rescue operations

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The Indian Government has been working extensively to make the railways better. Having said that, the Railway Ministry has now decided to deploy drone cameras for monitoring projects and activities of relief and rescue operation.

"Indian Railways has decided to deploy drone cameras (UAV/NETRA) for various railway activities, especially monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other rail infrastructure," the Railways Ministry said in a statement.

The government body has also announced that the directions have been given to Zonal Railways to procure such cameras and at the same time carry out the installation. "This is in line with the Railways' desire to use technology to enhance safety and efficiency in train operations."

Besides monitoring of the project and maintenance of tracks, the drone cameras will reportedly be deployed to undertake monitoring activities of relief and rescue operation and inspection-related activities.

"It shall also be used to assess preparedness of Non-Interlocking (NI) works, crowd management during fairs and meals, to identify scrap and also for an aerial survey of station yards," the ministry said.

According to Railways, these drones would be instrumental in providing real-time inputs related to safety and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure. The Ministry has said that the Western Railway has become the first Zonal Railway to procure drone cameras.

Meanwhile, as part of the government's ambitious Digital India initiative, all railway stations close to nearly 8,500 across the country, including those in rural and remote areas will now be equipped with Wi-Fi facilities. The project is said to be estimated at a cost of Rs. 700 crore ($110 million).

The Wi-Fi facility at these stations in rural and remote areas will be offered to the local population as part of the digital makeover of rural India to promote e-governance. Besides, railway stations in rural areas will have kiosks with Wi-Fi that will become digital hot spots offering services like digital banking, Aadhaar generation, issuing government certificates, including birth and death certificates, and filing taxes and paying bills, among others.

As per the timeline, while 600 stations are targeted to be provided with the Wi-FI facility by March 2018, the Railways aim to cover all 8,500 stations by March 2019.