Indian Railways Now Using Drones to Clean Coaches and Stations

Why Indian Railways is Using Drones

Indian Railways has taken a major leap toward modernization and hygiene by introducing drones for cleaning coaches and stations.

This move is part of the government’s push for “Swachh Bharat” (Clean India) and aims to ensure higher cleanliness standards, especially in the post-COVID era.

The traditional manual cleaning methods are time-consuming, require heavy manpower, and often miss hard-to-reach areas. Drones, equipped with advanced spraying systems and high-resolution cameras, help overcome these challenges.

How Drone Cleaning Works

These drones are designed to:

• Spray disinfectants and cleaning solutions on large surfaces quickly.
• Reach rooftops, coach exteriors, and station canopies.
• Capture high-definition images and videos to inspect cleanliness levels.

Operators can remotely control drones, reducing the need for workers to climb coaches or scaffolding, thus minimizing accidents.

Benefits of Drone-Based Cleaning

Improved Efficiency

Drones can cover vast areas in a fraction of the time compared to manual cleaning.

Better Hygiene

Uniform spraying ensures deep sanitization of surfaces, promoting passenger safety.

Reduced Human Effort

Cuts down physical strain on cleaning staff and reduces dependency on manual labor.

Eco-Friendly

Optimized spraying technology helps reduce excessive chemical use.

Public Response & Future Plans

Passengers have welcomed this move, citing improved hygiene and a futuristic image for Indian Railways.

Railway officials plan to expand drone-based cleaning to more major stations and maintenance depots in coming months.

There is also potential to use drones for other maintenance tasks, including bridge inspections and track monitoring, marking a broader shift towards tech-driven railway management.