North-East to have first cross-border railway network in India
India is moving ahead with its aim of having good connectivity along the Indo-China border areas by improving its railway connections with neighboring countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Sabyasachi De, CPRO of Northeast Frontier Railway, stated that the North-East region will soon have its first international cross-border railway connectivity.
An amount of Rs. 1.20 lakh crore has been allocated for the development of railway infrastructure in the Northeastern region. This funding aims to connect hilly and border areas in the region, focusing on overall development. The North East is prioritizing cross-border railway projects that have interconnectivity within Northeastern states along with neighbouring countries.
The Imphal-Moreh line and the Sairang-Hbichhuah line connecting Myanmar have been approved. Other projects include the Kokrajhar-Gelephu line connecting Bhutan and the Agartala-Akhaura railway project connecting Bangladesh.
Besides connecting neighboring countries through the cross-border railway network, efforts target linking state capitals like Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. Ongoing projects aim to extend railway lines to previously unconnected regions. New line sections like Murkongselek-Pasighat are in progress. Electrification work is nearly complete, with the whole North East region expected to be electrified within the financial year.
Key entry point New Jalpaiguri Railway Station is undergoing upgrades with an investment of around Rs. 300-350 crore. The Dimapur Railway Station, one of the largest in the region, is also set for improvement with an investment of Rs. 230 crores. Similarly, plans have been made to upgrade Guwahati Railway Station to a world-class railway station. Many projects are currently in affiliate and final location survey stages.
The inactive Mahisasan railway station, located by the Kushiyara River and Mahisashan-Shahbajpur route, presents an opportunity for the development of the North-Eastern region. Its revival could strengthen India’s bilateral trade and transit connectivity with Bangladesh.
Talking about the protection of wildlife Sabyasachi De said that the Northeast Frontier Railway is leading in wildlife protection by introducing an Intrusion Detection System. Numerous elephant corridors have been addressed by the Northeast Frontier Railway, including the Lumding-Hawaipur section in Assam and the Chalsa-Hasimara section in West Bengal.
“We have a sanction of Rs 77 crore covering all the elephant corridors in the North Eastern region. The Northeast Frontier Railway has the highest number of elephant corridors in the country. Many innovative and challenging works are being done in the North Eastern region,” Sabyasachi De added.
