NFR Deploys Underwater Robotic Tech to Boost Bridge Safety

03 Dec 2025 CW Team

The Northeast Frontier Railway has expanded the use of Remotely Operated Robotic Vehicles (RORV) to carry out detailed underwater and structural inspections of major bridges across the region. Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, CPRO, Northeast Frontier Railway, said the latest assessment cycle covered critical structures including the 1.45-km Saraighat Bridge over the Brahmaputra and several key bridges under the Alipurduar (APDJ) Division.

“These bridges have substructures that remain submerged throughout the year, making underwater inspection essential for evaluating the condition of foundations, wells and piers,” Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, CPRO, Northeast Frontier Railway, said. The historic Saraighat Bridge—India’s first rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra—was examined using a mix of RORV surveys, LiDAR, thermal imaging, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) tests to map scour zones, stress points and deck components with precision.

In the APDJ Division, 18 major bridges underwent comprehensive checks, with robotic systems capturing high-resolution visuals of submerged piers, riverbeds and potential vulnerabilities. Across all structures inspected, no significant underwater defects were found.

During 2024–25, NFR completed underwater surveys of 13 bridges using RORV. In 2025–26, 34 additional bridges have already been inspected. Sharma said these insights significantly strengthen NFR’s structural health monitoring efforts and enable timely planning for preventive maintenance.

He added that adopting RORV, combined with advanced digital tools, represents a major leap in scientific bridge assessment. NFR will continue upgrading its inspection systems to ensure the safety and longevity of critical connectivity routes, particularly strategic structures such as the Saraighat Bridge and other key bridges across the Northeast.

News source: ANI

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