NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has directed the Delhi Chief Secretary (CS), Rajiv Verma, to examine the possibility of replicating the drone policies of Telangana and Himachal Pradesh in the capital, days after a blast near the Red Fort claimed 13 lives.
Saxena’s office in a letter to CS said the horrific Delhi terror incident has brought out certain security dimensions into sharp focus and directed that action taken on these matters may be submitted to this office within three weeks.
Pointing out that the Centre has launched the Digital Sky platform for registration of all drones, it said the Home Department and the Delhi Police should seek dynamic access to this database, given the heightened risks of usage of drones for non-civilian use.
“Some states, such as Himachal Pradesh and Telangana, have brought out drone policies through their IT departments, which seek to strike a balance between demands of economic development, e-governance, academic research and the security imperative. The possibility of their replication in Delhi should be examined,” said L-G’s office.
The Telangana Drone policy states the government will establish a Drone City that would become India’s leading unmanned aerial vehicle test and business centre. The Himachal Pradesh Policy envisions creating a holistic drone ecosystem built upon the foundation of governance and reforms using drones.