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Railways to deploy drones, step up 24-hour patrolling along freight corridor: Bittu
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu announced Railways will intensify 24-hour patrolling and expand surveillance along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor after two blasts in Punjab within three months, with plans to deploy drones and increase CCTV coverage. He noted existing CCTV installations and the corridor's economic significance.
Why It Matters
The measures are aimed at preventing security threats to a key freight artery that supports around 30 trains daily, protecting economic activity in the region.
Timeline
2 Events
April 29, 2026: Railways to deploy drones; 24-hour patrolling expanded
April 29, 2026
Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu stated that Railways will intensify 24-hour patrolling and significantly expand surveillance along the tracks of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. He noted plans to deploy drones and expand CCTV coverage; currently 173 CCTV cameras are installed in the Punjab region of the Ambala division with more installations underway. The statement references the second blast within three months, located about 300 metres from NH-44, with the earlier blast about 800-900 metres from NH-44. He suggested that miscreants may exploit highway-access routes to target railway tracks. The corridor connects Sahnewal with West Bengal and carries about 30 trains daily.
January 23, 2026 blast near NH-44 (first incident)
January 23, 2026
The earlier blast occurred on January 23, about 800-900 metres from NH-44, marking the first incident in the two-blast sequence targeting the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Punjab within three months.