Surat – In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Gujarat, train coaches at Surat and Udhna railway yards are being cleaned using drones. A successful trial of the water drone system was recently conducted, marking a significant shift in how train maintenance and washing could be carried out in the future.
As per report, the pilot project was carried out on the coaches of Gujarat’s first Amrit Bharat Express running between Udhna and Brahmapur. Drones were flown to the height of the coaches and high-pressure water jets were used to wash the exterior. The results proved highly efficient, with 25 coaches being cleaned in just 30 minutes, compared to the current manual process that requires multiple workers and takes nearly three hours.
During the trial, 24 coaches at Surat and Udhna stations were washed using the drone system. Railway officials confirmed that after the successful demonstration, a request has been made to the Railway Board for official approval to use drones for regular cleaning. If granted, the system will be implemented on a larger scale.
The drone has been developed by two young innovators from Surat, with an estimated cost of Rs. 3 to 4 lakh. It is designed not only for train washing but also for cleaning platforms and hard-to-reach elevated areas of railway stations. Officials present during the trial praised the effectiveness of the technology.
The trial took place when the newly launched Amrit Bharat Express arrived at Udhna station last Saturday. The use of drones ensured rapid cleaning through powerful water pressure, reducing both manpower and time. Earlier in May 2025, a similar experiment was carried out at Kamakhya railway station in Assam, where a stationary train was cleaned using drones.
Currently, trains are washed manually after reaching their destination stations, with workers spraying water using pipes to prepare them for the next journey. The introduction of drone technology promises to make the process faster, more efficient, and less labor-intensive, offering a modern solution for keeping trains and stations clean.
