Sadak Surakhya Force plans drones, satellite imagery for safer highways

Since its launch in February 2024, the dedicated highway patrol has responded to 43,983 road accidents and helped 47,386 people, with 19,973 receiving on-the-spot first aid and 27,413 being shifted to hospitals

Punjab Police’s Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) plans to integrate drones, satellite imagery and AI-powered predictive systems into a first-of-its-kind 3D policing model for highway safety.

Since its launch in 2024, the force has responded to over 43k accidents and helped over 47,000 people. (HT)

Since its launch in February 2024, the dedicated highway patrol has responded to 43,983 road accidents and helped 47,386 people, with 19,973 receiving on-the-spot first aid and 27,413 being shifted to hospitals. Unlike conventional police units, SSF personnel are not diverted for law-and-order duties, allowing them to focus on road safety and rapid emergency response.

The force operates 144 specially equipped vehicles and more than 1,600 trained personnel, nearly 28% of them women. Its teams are deployed every 30 km across 4,100 km of highways and major roads. Response times average six to ten minutes, built around a “Platinum 10 Minutes” principle of reaching victims within six to eight minutes.

Director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said specialised training, including crash investigation and emergency medical response, has driven a 45-48% drop in fatalities on SSF-patrolled stretches, with deaths falling from 1,955 in 2023 to 1,016 in 2024.

Launched by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on January 27, 2024, in Jalandhar, the SSF was created to address Punjab’s road toll, which had averaged 17-18 deaths daily. Apart from road safety, the SSF teams have recovered contraband including 6kg of opium, returned stolen cash and valuables, prevented more than 12 suicides, and assisted schoolchildren and late-night travellers.

A Phase 2 expansion will extend coverage of the force from 5,500 km to 6,000 km of state roads, while “Vision SSF-2047” aims to fuse satellite data, AI and drones into an integrated safety ecosystem, including green mobility corridors and the Punjab Road Safety and Traffic Research Centre (PRSTRC).

The SSF’s Intelligent Transport Management System, using AI, IoT sensors and ANPR-based enforcement, has helped cut average response times below seven minutes, guided by a “7E Framework” — engineering, enforcement, education, electronics, emergency care, engagement and evaluation.

SDGP Amardeep Singh Rai said the force’s personnel undergo specialised training, including from the Red Cross, with victim assistance as their sole performance metric. “The success isn’t just from new vehicles, it’s a shift in philosophy from enforcement to service,” Yadav said.