Landscaping Project in India Benefits from Leica Automatic and Rotating Laser Levels

Situated on a slim northeastern corridor near the borders to Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, Siliguri is known as the Gateway of Northeast India and a regional trading hub with major road and rail connections. At the crossroads of commerce and cultures, Siliguri is also the home to the Nehemiah building, a faith-based community centre hosting daily meetings alongside special seminars and events.

While the interior had been effectively renovated for its new purpose, the surrounding landscaping needed renewal to make the center more accessible, create enjoyable outdoor spaces, and keep the daily cadre of encroaching snakes at bay. For two months in 2022, Dominique Erb of Switzerland travelled to Siliguri to help transform the center’s landscaping and brought along Leica Geosystems levelling and measurement tools to get the job done right in challenging conditions. 

From Switzerland to Siliguri 

Sponsored by a charitable organisation from Switzerland, the Nehemiah building, a former retirement home, has been transformed into a centre for daily group meetings and special seminars. Employing six local residents, the centre is as important for those whose livelihood it supports as the citizens who gather there.

However, improvements were necessary to adapt the building and surrounding landscape to its new function. Erb, a professional landscaper, volunteered his expertise and time to lead the redevelopment, with the goal of creating a welcoming and relaxed environment for visitors.

While preliminary preparations began in Switzerland, much of Erb’s planning had to wait until he visited the Siliguri site. Nonetheless, he was certain good tools would be crucial. Working together with local Leica Geosystems representatives, he left equipped with a Leica NA532 automatic level and the Leica Rugby CLA-ctive rotating laser. 

The right tools for the job 

Worries of working on an as-yet undefined project in an entirely new location with people he had never met before loomed before Erb’s arrival. However, as soon as he became familiar with the centre's team, he felt comfortable and confident that the project would move forward successfully. 

“In Siliguri, I got to know the team on the first day and had a very good impression. The overwhelming demands and uncertainty quickly disappeared,” reflects Erb. “We toured the site, gathered ideas, and sketched these into a project plan that would fit the budget.”

With only two months to complete a vast amount of work before he would return home, tools that enabled accuracy and productivity were crucial to success.

Designed to withstand harsh environments and deliver accurate measurements quickly, the NA532 automatic level was well suited to the dynamic on-site demands of the Nehemiah project. Additionally, the Rugby CLA-ctive rotating laser, which provides adaptable functionalities thanks to upgradable software, supported a range of landscaping tasks, from site preparation, checking grades and alignments, levelling, and more.

The simple interface and operation of both made them ideal tools for the Nehemiah project in which many workers were learning to use the technology for the first time, enabling greater productivity – important given a limited crew and tight timelines. 

“I taught the team how to use the automatic level and rotating laser. I practiced with them so they could contribute to this and future projects with the level, which stayed in India,” says Erb.   

Landscaping work in challenging conditions 

While the primary goal was to improve the outdoor experience for guests, these were not merely aesthetic upgrades but rather solved a range of practical problems.

“Before, the outside of the centre was a rice field, and when I arrived it was a big meadow with many snakes,” recalls Erb. “Our major goals were to solve the problem of keeping the snakes away and to create places for the guests to spend time and feel comfortable outside.”

Landscaping in proximity to snakes who invited themselves not only onto the site but onto the equipment was a unique challenge for Erb. In fact, one day he was greeted with a new crew member: a snake resting atop his tripod-mounted laser level, its long body draped over the edge. 

The levelling and measurement tools were essential for many of the landscaping efforts, including improvements to the centre’s circular driveway. Prone to flooding during the summer’s heavy rainfall, the driveway frequently turned muddy and impassable.

“The driveway was initially comprised of soft soil, making the area often undriveable during strong precipitation periods. Therefore, it was necessary to replace the soil with a new gravel foundation,” explains Erb. “Additionally, the gravel foundation helps keep the area clean and free from mud and debris flow during heavy rains.”

“The rotating laser was in use continuously to measure various heights and slope supports,” he continues. “For the whole driveway surface and edge finishes, for example, the rotating laser was a huge help.”

Accuracy-enabled success 

Fighting illness, injuries, and bouts of inclement weather alongside navigating language barriers and cultural differences, Erb and team were nonetheless successful in their ambitious goal, completing the project in time for him to enjoy seeing the finished space before his departure:

“The work is done, and we were able to implement everything we planned. When the team saw the final product, and how the accuracy contributed, it brought them great joy.”