📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Crime
Punjab Minister Balbir Singh Announces Drone Deployment to Track Drug Smugglers
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 18 Sep 2026, 06:46 AM
👁 11
Punjab's drug control minister Balbir Singh said the state will employ drones to monitor routes used by drug traffickers, aiming to curb illicit trade.
Punjab's minister for drug control, Balbir Singh, announced a new operational plan that will see unmanned aerial vehicles deployed along known drug trafficking corridors. The initiative, unveiled during a press briefing, seeks to provide real‑time surveillance of suspected smuggling routes, especially in border districts and remote areas where ground patrols face challenges.
According to the minister, the drones will be equipped with high‑resolution cameras and thermal imaging to detect movement at night and in difficult terrain. Data collected will be relayed to a central command centre, enabling rapid response by law‑enforcement teams.
The move comes as part of the state's broader strategy to combat the rising flow of narcotics, which has been a persistent concern for Punjab's authorities. Officials expect the aerial monitoring to act as a deterrent and to improve the success rate of interdictions.
While the technology is being sourced from domestic manufacturers, the minister emphasized that the deployment will adhere to existing privacy and safety regulations. Training for police personnel on drone operation and data analysis is slated to begin next month.
Stakeholders, including local community groups, have welcomed the step, noting that enhanced surveillance could reduce the drug menace that has plagued several districts in recent years.
According to the minister, the drones will be equipped with high‑resolution cameras and thermal imaging to detect movement at night and in difficult terrain. Data collected will be relayed to a central command centre, enabling rapid response by law‑enforcement teams.
The move comes as part of the state's broader strategy to combat the rising flow of narcotics, which has been a persistent concern for Punjab's authorities. Officials expect the aerial monitoring to act as a deterrent and to improve the success rate of interdictions.
While the technology is being sourced from domestic manufacturers, the minister emphasized that the deployment will adhere to existing privacy and safety regulations. Training for police personnel on drone operation and data analysis is slated to begin next month.
Stakeholders, including local community groups, have welcomed the step, noting that enhanced surveillance could reduce the drug menace that has plagued several districts in recent years.