In a first, the Tamil Nadu police have used photogrammetric mapping using drones for deploying manpower and security infrastructure along the East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai, ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to Mamallapuram on Friday.
Security personnel, with technical assistance from scientists of Anna University, flew six drones along the 35-km stretch between VGP Golden Beach and Mamallapuram, to capture live feed. At least 30,000 high-resolution photographs of roads and buildings, on either side of the ECR, were taken to plan the deployment of manpower. Earlier, the police were dependent on Google Maps for survey and planning the security scheme, but the data was not an updated one.
“This is the first time the concept of photogrammetric mapping is being deployed for VIP security. The aerial visuals come with measurable distance to scale of the structures from the convoy route. Six Quadcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, with high-quality cameras, were used for the survey. The drones were completely operated by the police, with the assistance of scientists,” a senior official from Anna University told The Hindu on Thursday.
Special teams analysed visuals and photographs of roads, buildings and the shoreline to plan the deployment of thousands of police personnel and positioning of the Rapid Action Force, Quick Reaction Teams and Special Task Force vehicles. “This is a scientific analysis-based real-time feed. The drones will be flown again to check if there is any change in the earlier feed. The results are so accurate and useful that the police have decided to have this technology as part of all VIP security planning in the future,” the official, who preferred not to be quoted, said.
‘Police will operate’
Though drones were earlier operated by technicians of the Madras Institute of Technology, Director-General of Police J.K. Tripathy decided that the police would operate them for this security scheme. “We trained police personnel in the operation of the drones. However, our teams will be present throughout the implementation of the scheme for assistance, in the event of any glitch. This is a new approach to security management...,” he said.
The second India-China informal summit between Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi will be held at the coastal town of Mamallapuram, on the ECR, on October 11 and 12. Unprecedented security arrangements are in place for the event with the Special Security Group, that protects the Indian Prime Minister, and the Central Security Bureau of the Chinese Army, that guards its President, taking control of the security protocol at the airport, halting place and venue.
