HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 6: For the first time in India, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has pioneered an innovative system of utilising road machinery such as hydra cranes and backhoe loaders for speedy maintenance of points and crossings. These are critical components of railway networks that allow trains to switch tracks and safely cross from one track to another. This innovation, successfully carried out on an experimental basis on November 29, 2024 at the Pandu machine siding located in Maligaon, Guwahati, marks a significant achievement in the zone’s efforts to ensure safety and timely maintenance of railway tracks.
Maintenance of tracks on the Indian Railways is usually carried out through the use of track machines, which play a vital role in enhancing railway safety by ensuring the efficient and precise upkeep of tracks. At present, 1,684 track machines are operating in Indian Railways, and 301 more machines are under supply. These include machines such as ballast cleaning machines, tamping machines, dynamic track stabilisers, muck disposal units, and several others. Plasser India, the major supplier of track machines to the Indian Railways, set up a new manufacturing plant in Karjan, Gujarat, in 2019 to meet the growing requirements of the Indian and global markets. In tandem with the Prime Minister’s flagship initiatives of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Plasser India is not only increasing indigenous content in domestic production but has also started exporting to countries like the USA, Canada, and Australia.
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The innovative method of using road machinery for the maintenance of points and crossings promises to act as a force multiplier to the track machines. With meticulous planning and a focus on overcoming logistical challenges, this approach has delivered remarkable results in enhancing ballast cushion and improving track stability. Due to the easy availability of road machinery and its ability to be deployed in less accessible locations, this system can further augment the track machines in ensuring speedy maintenance of the large number of points and crossings spread across various remote and far-flung locations under the jurisdiction of NF Railway.
This pioneering effort underscores NFR’s commitment to adopting cutting-edge methods to improve safety, efficiency, and reliability in train operations and infrastructure maintenance, setting a benchmark for railway zones across the country.
