NFR Deploys Advanced Tech to Boost Safety

Guwahati: In a major move to enhance railway safety and infrastructure resilience, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has introduced cutting-edge technology along the Lumding–Badarpur Hill Section in Assam’s Lumding division. This crucial route, running through the hilly terrains of Dima Hasao and Cachar, connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Barak Valley with the rest of India. Prone to landslides and embankment instability due to difficult terrain and heavy monsoon rains, the section has long posed operational challenges. To address this, NFR has initiated an 80-km aerial and geophysical survey between KM-45 and KM-125, deploying advanced drone-based LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), high-resolution imaging, and electromagnetic surveys. These tools provide detailed terrain data, enabling accurate risk assessment of slopes and track alignments. Complementing aerial data, ground-based techniques such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Seismic Refraction Testing (SRT), and Transient Electromagnetic Surveys are being used to identify subsurface water zones, soil saturation, and underground faults—key factors behind landslides. Additionally, Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) has been conducted at vulnerable tunnel sections, including a 750-meter-long tunnel at Location 20, to detect structural deformations and water ingress with sub-centimeter accuracy. Drone-mounted GPR is also deployed at bridge and tunnel approaches to detect voids and ground movement. To support long-term planning, GIS and remote sensing technologies are generating landslide susceptibility maps that categorize areas by risk level based on terrain, vegetation, and hydrology. NFR’s comprehensive, technology-led strategy is a major step toward creating a safer and more reliable rail network in Northeast India, ensuring better preparedness against natural hazards and uninterrupted connectivity.