Assam: NF Railway using Drones for inspection of bridges
Guwahati
Taking technology application a step further. NF Railway has started the use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) for the detailed inspection of bridges in NFR system. Given the kind of terrain that the Rly. Operates in, there are a large number of bridges in the zone, many of them unique in dimension and specification. Inspection of bridges is a very evolved and detailed process, often made difficult by the continuous movement of traffic.
Inspection by drone mounted cameras which would chase anything between 1 to 4 lakh, depending on the size and location of the bridge, would facilitate a much detailed view of the bridge, its super structure and substructure (pillars) portions, otherwise inaccessible could be examined in detail.
Accordingly, N.F.Railway has taken a pro-active approach to up-grade the method of Inspection of Bridges. Survey of two Major Bridges (Br. No. 91, span-3×30.5m and Br. No. 93, span-6×45.7m) on Guwahati-Lumding section by using Drone has been successfully completed.
Inspection of as many as 28 important bridge are to be done by Drone mounted cameras. This includes, the iconic Saraighat bridge, the Naranarayan Setu and the famous Dayang bridge of Lumding-Badarpur hill section. It is to be mentioned that NFR has already started the under water inspection of major and important bridges in which experienced divers use special equipment to assess the condition of bridge foundations.
