Archive · 1 Dec 2025
NFR Uses Underwater Robots for Bridge Inspections
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in India is using special underwater robots to check the health of important bridges.
These robots help inspect parts of the bridges that are always underwater, like the foundations and piers.
One of the bridges they checked is the Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati, which is a very important bridge that carries both trains and cars.
The robots, along with other high-tech tools, looked at different parts of the bridges to make sure they are safe.
They found no big problems with the bridges they checked.
This helps the railway plan for any necessary repairs in the future.
Using these robots is a big step forward in making sure bridges are safe and well-maintained.
NFR used underwater robots to inspect 34 bridges, including the Saraighat Bridge.
The Saraighat Bridge is a 1.45 km rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra in Guwahati.
Inspections used RORV, LiDAR, thermal imaging, GPR, and UPV tests to assess bridge conditions.
No major underwater defects were detected in the inspected bridges.
The inspections enhance structural health monitoring and support preventive maintenance planning.
- Who
- Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR)
- What
- Underwater robotic inspections of railway bridges
- When
- 2024–25 and 2025–26
- Where
- Guwahati, India
- Why
- To assess the structural health of submerged bridge components
- Organization
- Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR)
- Technology Used
- Remotely Operated Robotic Vehicle (RORV)
- Bridges Inspected
- 34
- Key Bridge Inspected
- Saraighat Bridge
- Inspection Period
- 2024–25 and 2025–26
- Inspection Tools
- RORV, LiDAR, thermal imaging, GPR, UPV tests
- Bridge Length
- 1.45 km
- Bridge Location
- Guwahati, over the Brahmaputra