Drone surveillance technology has emerged as an important and cost effective tool for security surveillance over large areas with limited manpower. Mumbai Division of Central Railway in Indian Railways has recently procured two Ninja UAVs for better security and surveillance in Railway areas like station premises, Railway track sections, yards, workshops, etc.
The purpose of the drone deployment is to provide a force multiplier and aid to the effectiveness of the security personnel deployed. It can help in inspection of Railway assets and safety of Yards, Workshops, car sheds etc. it can be used to launch surveillance on criminal and anti-social activities like gambling, throwing of garbage, hawking etc in Railway premises. It may be deployed for data collection Analysis of such data collected may prove to be extremely useful in vulnerable sections for safe operations of trains.
The drone may be pressed in service at disaster sites for helping in rescue, recovery and restoration and coordinating of efforts of various agencies. It is very useful while undertaking mapping of railway asset to assess the encroachments on railway property. During large scale crowd management efforts, it may give vital inputs like crowd magnitude, probable time of arrival and dispersal based on which crowd regulation efforts may be planned and executed. Drones were used to enforce lockdown and monitor the movement of migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown.
(Also read: Safety tips for your Credit Card)
A team of four staff of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Mumbai has been trained for drone flying, surveillance and maintenance. These drones are capable of Real Time Tracking, Video Streaming and may be operated on Automatic Fail Safe Mode.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) has planned extensive use of drones for the purpose of Railway security. Nine (09) drones have been procured by RPF so far at a cost of Rs. 31.87 Lakhs at South Eastern Railway, Central Railway, Modern Coaching Factory, Raebareli and South Western Railway.
It is further proposed to procure seventeen (17) more drones in future at a cost of Rs. 97.52 Lakhs. Nineteen (19) RPF personnel have so far been trained in operation and maintenance of drones out of which 4 have received licenses for flying drones. Six (06) more RPF personnel are being trained.
A drone camera can cover large area which requires 8-10 RPF personnel. Thus, it may lead to substantial improvement in utilization of scarce manpower. Drone beats have been designed based on railway asset, sensitivity of area, activity of criminals etc. Drone acts as an “EYE IN THE SKY” and monitors the whole area. Any suspicious activity if noticed is intimated to the nearest RPF post of division to apprehend the criminal LIVE. One such criminal was apprehended on a real time basis in Wadibunder Yard area while he was trying to commit theft inside railway coach stationed in the yard.
(Also read: MoRTH allows Sale and Registration of Electric Vehicles without batteries)
(Also read: Mild or medium color blind person will also get Driving License now)
(Also read: New specified Health Warning on Tobacco products)
(Also read: Revised instructions on opening of Current Accounts)
(Also read: Free Instant PAN through Aadhaar based e-KYC launched by Finance Minister)
(Also read: More than 150 FAQs on Provident Fund to solve all doubts)
(Also read: CBSE deleted certain topics from syllabus for session 2020-21)
Disclaimer: The above post includes some content used from PIB India website and executed on this website for fair use only. As this website is of educational nature, hence the content is used for education and awareness to the public.