Railway starts use of automated scavenging mini garbage trucks to keep tracks clean

 

Although daily traveling by train is a bitter experience in itself, but even worse is to see the filth spread on railway platforms and tracks. Even after all the cleaning efforts, the dirt always remains here.

In the wake of cleaning up this dirt spread on railway tracks and platforms, Dr. Sharad K. Pradhan Associate Professor of ‘Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research’ Bhopal, constructed a 'Multi Dimensional and Multi Purpose Railway Track Cleaning Vehicle'. To develop this vehicle more useful, assistance has also been taken from the ‘Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program of the Department of Science and Technology’, Government of India. The automatic railway track cleaning vehicle has been completely designed by keeping in mind the 'Make in India campaign' and has also been received a national patent for it.

This 'Automatic Railway Tracks Cleaning Vehicle' will clean both railway tracks and roads

This 'Automatic Railway Tracks Cleaning Vehicle' is designed to be suited to both road and railways. For railway tracks, it has been replaced with train wheels instead of only tire-tube wheels. Thus, it will take the form of an automatic cleaning train on railway tracks. Whereas, tire-tubes will be used for cleaning the roads. This railway equipment is multi-functional and easily operable, it has also been thoroughly tested.

This 'Automatic Cleaning Vehicle' is equipped with a dry and wet suction system.

The unique feature of this automatic vehicle is that it is equipped with a dry and wet suction system, a 'Nozzle Control System' that allows air and water splashes. It has a display unit that controls the cleaning system even in the most challenging environment. Through this, only one person besides the driver is needed to clean the railway tracks.

Once the dry and wet waste is pulled by the vehicle's section system, the nozzle causes water splashes and the sharp edge of the water falling from the jet sweeps away any type of human feces or other types of waste. Some other nozzles in the vehicle spray pesticides on the rail track so that flies, rats and other germs cannot thrive on it. Water jets completely remove human feces and other types of wet waste from the tracks.

Cleaning of mud from drains will also be easier now

The dry and wet waste drawn from the section pump is collected in separate tanks and when the tanks are full, it is dumped in the garbage dumping zone of the local bodies. The controlled telescopic section with a lever attached to it clears the sludge from the drains along the pipe track. The telescopic section pipe can be properly set up for cleaning the drains on the side of the tracks.

'Railway Tracks Automatic Cleaning Vehicle' is a multi-purpose device

Since it is a rail and road friendly vehicle, the railways can also use it as a vehicle for carrying goods and garbage, from the rail tracks to the roads. This vehicle can also be used as a maintenance and inspection vehicle and a pesticide spraying vehicle.

When this vehicle is not in the cleaning mode, then Indian Railways can also use it as a transport and inspection vehicle. After its successful testing, Indian Railways can now use it as a cleaning vehicle at all stations. Maintenance of this vehicle is very easy. After pilot testing, its mass commercial production could begin in association with Doctor Sharad Pradhan.

This fact and the social truth cannot be ignored that the majority of the total population of India travels daily by train. In such a situation, the dirt spread and mess here bothers people. At present, the waste and human waste lying on the tracks is manually handled by the sweepers appointed here. However, since 1993 lifting and cleaning of feces with hands was banned. But still, sweepers can be seen picking up stools from the railway tracks with brooms and iron leaves. After removing the waste from the railway tracks, sewage and other types of dirt are removed from the tracks by pouring water from the high-pressure jet. It is hoped that this problem will be resolved after the arrival of this ‘Automatic Railway Tracks Cleaning Vehicle’.