BMC to acquire lifeguard drones to prevent drowning at Juhu Beach

The machine, which will serve as secondary equipment in rescue operations, can cover a distance of 60 meters in 30 seconds

MUMBAI: To prevent drowning incidents at Juhu Beach, the BMC is testing a remote-operated lifeguard which is meant to rescue swimmers in distress as far as two kilometres out at sea. The machine, which will serve as secondary equipment in rescue operations, can cover a distance of 60 meters in 30 seconds.

Chetan Shah, an investor in a Vizag-based startup called Saif Automation which develops lifeguard drones, was involved in the trial run on Juhu Beach on Monday. “The drone has to be remote-operated by lifeguards and works on the simple principle of a submarine,” he said. “It is a completely Indian innovation.” (HT PHOTO)

On Tuesday, MLA Ameet Satam, accompanied by lifeguards, the police department, the zonal DMC and K West ward’s assistant commissioner Prithviraj Chauhan, took stock of this and other safety measures. “We conducted a demo of the drone,” said a senior official from K West ward. “Juhu Beach is seven to eight kilometres long, and we will increase manpower, have a jetty and watch tower, and provide drones and ropes to prevent drowning. The drones can trace the victim in seconds and will thus save lives.”

Satam, in his letter to additional municipal commissioner Sudhakar Shinde, has suggested methods to strengthen the safety mechanisms at Juhu Beach. One of these is to double the number of lifeguards on the beach stretch from the Juhu Koliwada end to the Moragaon end. Currently, there are three BMC lifeguards and 20 contractual lifeguards deployed daily in two shifts.

“Five to seven jet skis or water scooters must be deployed to help lifeguards,” said Satam. “At least five life-saving water drones should be deployed along with a public announcement system. Watch towers have to be installed at seven to eight locations across the beach. Life-saving first aid kits have to be deployed at five strategic locations, including AED machines.”

Chetan Shah, an investor in a Vizag-based startup called Saif Automation which develops lifeguard drones, was involved in the trial run on Juhu Beach on Monday. “The drone has to be remote-operated by lifeguards and works on the simple principle of a submarine,” he said. “It is a completely Indian innovation.”

Shah said the drone was a secondary system to save lives. “If the lifeguards are monitoring the beaches and sitting on a high mast, say, 30 metres from the ground and if somebody is drowning 60 metres away, it will take the lifeguard eight or nine minutes to get there,” he said. “If the person doesn’t know how to swim, this is the secondary method used, which is monitored by lifeguards all the time. It can propel at a speed of six knots towards the person who is drowning. The person can cling to it till the lifeguard reaches.”

Shah said they were proposing five to six drones for Juhu Beach. “We are recommending that the BMC increase its lifeguard force from 23 to 40 so that there are three lifeguards at every 200 and 300 metres,” he said. “The drones will cost around ₹6.5 lakh each. And even if we save one life, it would be worth the money.”