Guwahati, Nov 13 (IANS) In a major step towards improving safety, accessibility and operational efficiency, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has undertaken the initiative of providing pathways on railway bridges across its network, officials said on Thursday.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that this initiative is aimed at ensuring safe movement for railway personnel engaged in inspection, maintenance and operational activities on bridges.

As of October, work has been awarded for all sanctioned projects, marking steady progress under NFR’s safety enhancement plan. A total of 943 railway bridges across the Northeast Frontier Railway have been identified for pathway provision, the CPRO said.

Out of these, 382 bridges have already been provided with pathways, while work on 561 bridges is in progress. According to the Official, during 2024–25, work was undertaken on 32 bridges.

For the year 2025–26, a target has been set to complete pathways on 109 bridges, with work already in progress on 49 of them. Over the next five years, 452 bridges are planned to be covered. Rangiya Division has the highest number of bridges (250), followed by Lumding (227), Alipurduar (200), Katihar (163) and Tinsukia (103) divisions.

The provision of pathways on bridges offers multiple benefits. It ensures enhanced safety for railway personnel by providing a secure route for movement, reduces the risk of accidents and injuries and allows easier access to bridge structures for regular inspection and maintenance.

Sharma said that these pathways also facilitate safe access during emergencies, such as when a rake stalls on a bridge, enabling loco pilots and technical staff to reach the site promptly. With this initiative, the Northeast Frontier Railway reiterates its strong commitment to safety, reliability and community welfare.

The project exemplifies NFR’s continuous efforts to modernise infrastructure, improve maintenance efficiency and enhance passenger and staff safety. Through such proactive measures, NFR continues to strengthen its vision of building a safe, inclusive and people-friendly railway network in the Northeastern region, the CPRO stated.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) operates in the Northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of northern Bihar.

–IANS

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