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Drone cameras to help railway upgrading security and safety measures

@news5pm

December 12th, 2017

Our Bureau/

Railway now initiated for assigning drones for different works, especially for giving excellences in security and safety related works.

Railway has decided to utilize  cameras fitted in drones for keeping vigil on movements of trains, security related affairs along with watching the tracks.

In coming times different railway stations falling under Eastern railway, would started  to utilize the drone cameras’ services mainly for watching railway tracks, railway bridges, stations, yards, etc. Process for installation of the drone camera services would be  initiated at different important railway stations like Jamalpur falling under Malda division and Jamui falling under Asansol division of Eastern Railways in coming times.

The drone services would be very fruitful to foil the attempts of Maoists who rule the roosts in eastern Bihar districts and time to time targeted railway’s tracks and railways properties particularly districts like  Munger and Jamui. “CRPF and other security agencies have started taking drone’s services for countering the rebels in many parts of the country. The drone cameras would very effective for Eastern railway at places like Munger and Jamui to counter the Maoists’ attacks on railways where routine patrolling still impossible mainly for inaccessible topography,” a senior railway official said.

According to Ravi Mahapatra, chief public relation officer (CPRO), Eastern Railway, since railway has concentrated on modernizations mainly for safety and security points, utilization of drone cameras would very fruitful. Taking with The Telegraph over phone, he said that the plan however would be implemented in coming days after completing formalities. “It’s mainly for security related things and different government departments have started working for the strategy to arrange proper safety and security measures. Railway, no exception, which has great responsibility for its passengers, would automatically be started concentrating on it,” he told.

He said that railway stations and yards now would directly under the preview of concerned railway officials. Besides, other important works like relief and rescue operations during time of accident or any other mishaps, progress of railway works at any site, works like non-interlinking and other vital works. “It will help the concerned officials to provide timely visuals along with live from any site and vis-a visa they officials could guide junior staffs at the field for proper works,” he said.

Another senior railway official said in recent times many incidents of run over were taken places mainly due to assemble of crowds besides railway tracks for attending mela or other social gatherings . Such incidents happened mainly railway didn’t had  any prior information of such mela or gathering besides railway tracks, he said.  “Drone cameras will give us such information so that we could counter any mishaps while imposing cautions for the running trains in that areas,” he further added while giving recent run over incident of  October 23 in which  four village  women ran over by speedy train while another 5 sustained injuries near Adalpur halt falling some 17 km from Jamalpur station on Jamalpur-Kiul section. All the victims on way to taking bath to river Ganga for staring Chhat festival, were crossing railway tracks along with other villagers in the morning hours when the driver of the train failed to notice the presence of them on the tracks, the official recalled. He even recalled Dhamra Ghat mishap in 2015 at Khagaria where many devotees gathered for conducting a ritual beside railway track run over like Rashkshi Sthan in Sahabganj earlier.

“Railway has started purchasing best quality drone cameras having visibility of 500 meter. It could fly across 200 meters and could provide  extensive visual for 15-30 minutes,” the officer pointed out.

“We now could easily keep vigil on the Maoists and other anti-social elements who otherwise create much nesciences while taking the advantages of adversity of some parts of eastern Bihar regions,” said a top ranking railway protection force (RPF) officer.


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