Northeast Frontier Railway Enhances Safety at Level Crossings
Strengthening Safety Measures
Guwahati, Dec 20: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), based in Maligaon, has taken significant steps to improve safety protocols at level crossing (LC) gates throughout its network.
According to NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, "Safety is fundamental to train operations, and LC gates are vital for ensuring safe interactions between rail and road traffic. The NFR prioritizes enhancing safety measures at these gates through systematic upgrades to signalling systems, the integration of modern technologies, and regular maintenance routines."
Sharma emphasized that these initiatives aim to reduce human intervention, boost reliability, and safeguard passengers, road users, and railway operations across the region.
As part of its commitment to safety, NFR is progressively modernizing interlocked LC gates, which manage the flow of trains and road traffic through secure signalling and interlocking systems.
Currently, NFR operates 624 interlocked LC gates, with eight newly installed in the 2025–26 fiscal year, showcasing a robust safety framework in railway operations. Additionally, sliding boom systems have been implemented at 10 LC gates, enhancing visibility and providing physical barriers during train movements.
To date, 582 sliding booms have been installed at various LC gates in the zone, further improving safety for road users.
NFR has also made significant strides in replacing traditional mechanical lifting barriers (MLBs) with electric lifting barriers (ELBs), which are more reliable and respond faster.
So far, 500 ELBs have been deployed across the NFR network, marking a key advancement in the safety upgrades at LC gates. These barriers have been widely distributed across all divisions, with a new ELB recently commissioned in the Rangiya Division. This fiscal year alone, 14 MLBs have been replaced with ELBs, reducing reliance on manual operations and enhancing safety at critical LC locations.
To further bolster safety, system integrity testing (SIT) has been conducted at 220 LC gates across various divisions to ensure the reliability and fail-safe operation of signalling and interlocking systems.
Moreover, signalling cable meggering has been performed at 32 LC gates, allowing for early identification of electrical issues and ensuring the effective functioning of essential signalling infrastructure. Through these extensive and ongoing efforts, NFR reaffirms its dedication to safety, continuously striving for safer train operations and improved protection for the public at LC gates throughout the region.