The National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) will be adopting the light detection and ranging survey (LiDAR) technique, using laser-enabled equipment mounted on a helicopter for conducting the ground survey for the detailed project report (DPR) preparation for the proposed Delhi-Varanasi bullet train corridor.
The aerial LiDAR survey for a railway project in the country was first adopted for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor primarily because of its high accuracy. The ground survey using aerial LiDAR for MAHSR alignment was done only in 12 weeks against the 10-12 months if it was done using traditional survey methods. The alignment or ground survey is a crucial activity for any linear infrastructure project as the methodology provides accurate details of areas around the alignment.