The Ministry of Railways has updated its Disaster Management protocol to include live video communication from the scene of accidents. Railway telecom officials will establish a live video feed from accident sites as soon as possible in the event of an accident or disaster. This move aims to aid in assessing the severity of incidents, expediting relief and rescue operations, and preserving evidence for further investigation. The Railway Board has instructed telecom officials to arrange video conferencing at accident sites using suitable gadgets as a first response measure.
The live video feed will be shared with the Railway Board and Zonal Headquarters for immediate assessment. Additionally, senior officers have been advised to deploy drone services depending on local conditions, with detailed guidelines provided for hiring drones from authorized service providers. This initiative comes after the tragic rear-end collision of two passenger trains near Vizianagaram in 2023, prompting the need for better evidence preservation and disaster response mechanisms.