NFR reviews monsoon preparedness, strengthens safety measures along rail sections
Guwahati, April 22 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has undertaken a comprehensive review of its ongoing safety drive and infrastructural preparedness, particularly in anticipation of the four-month-long monsoon season from June to September, officials said on Wednesday.
NFR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma stated that NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava conducted an extensive inspection of the Bairabi (along the Assam-Mizoram border)–Badarpur and Badarpur–Patharkhola sections under the Lumding Division.
He noted that the inspection was part of a broader initiative to assess safety measures and evaluate infrastructural readiness ahead of the monsoon season.
During the visit, a detailed window-trailing inspection of railway tracks was carried out to examine track fitness and the structural integrity of these sections, Sharma added.
According to the NFR Chief Public Relations Officer, this exercise plays a crucial role in identifying potential vulnerabilities and ensuring the resilience of railway infrastructure against monsoon-related challenges such as waterlogging, soil erosion, and track instability.
The General Manager also reviewed key safety parameters and directed officials to ensure stringent monitoring and timely maintenance interventions.
On the occasion, the General Manager visited the newly constructed Sub-Divisional Training Centre and an Ultrasonic Flaw Detection laboratory at Badarpur.
Sharma said these facilities are designed to enhance railway personnel’s technical capabilities and improve the efficiency of track inspection and defect-detection systems.
These initiatives underscore NFR’s commitment to capacity building and to adopting advanced technologies to ensure safer, more reliable railway operations.
He also inspected Badarpur railway station and reviewed the progress of ongoing development works during the visit.
The inspection gains added significance in the context of the strategically important railway connectivity project extending from Bairabi in southern Assam to Sairang near Aizawl in Mizoram.
Commissioned in 2025, this link has substantially improved regional connectivity and contributed to Mizoram’s economic integration with the rest of the country.
The introduction of railway connectivity to Sairang has provided a major boost to tourism and the state’s economy.
Ensuring the safety and durability of the existing sections up to Bairabi remains critical, as they serve as a vital link in this extended rail network.
During every monsoon season, railway infrastructure is disrupted, affecting rail connectivity among various Northeastern states.
On September 13, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang New Railway Line, bringing Aizawl onto India’s railway map for the first time.
–IANS
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