Indian Railways Deploys Underwater Drones for Bridge Safety Inspection

• Indian Railways' Northeast Frontier Railway used advanced underwater robot drones for health inspections.
• 34 railway bridges, including critical ones like Saraighat Bridge and 18 in Alipurduar Division, were inspected.
• Technology allows inspection of underwater structures in deep rivers like Brahmaputra, Teesta, Jaldhaka, Torsa, previously difficult.
• Drones gathered comprehensive data via observations, LiDAR, thermal imaging, ground-penetrating radar, and ultrasonic pulse velocity.
• No defects have been identified in the underwater structures of the 34 bridges inspected so far.

Why It Matters: Advanced underwater drones enhance Indian Railways' bridge safety, ensuring passenger security.