Dmr-Kma Rail Project: Construction activities for longest tunnel begins

Guwahati, March 18 (MExN): The construction activities of the 6,610-metre-long tunnel located in Tsiepama village of Medziphema circle have started, informed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) today.

Portal 1 of Tunnel No-7, situated between Pherima and Piphema stations, would be the longest tunnel in the Dimapur-Kohima New Rail line Project, it said. A 12-kilometer-long approach road was constructed through the hills to reach Portal 1 of the Tunnel, it added.

The 82.5 km-long railway line project (2.75 km in Assam and 79.75 km in Nagaland) from Dhansiri station in Assam to Zubza in Kohima is being constructed at an anticipated cost of Rs 6,663 crore. 

The project includes eight new stations - Dhansiri, Dhansiripar, Shokhuvi, Molvom, Pherima, Piphema, Menguzuma, and Zubza. According to the NFR, the project comprises 27 major bridges, 148 minor bridges, 5 Road Over Bridges, 15 Road Under Bridges, and 21 Tunnels of 31 km length. The 16.5 km section from Dhansiri to Shokhuvi was commissioned in October 2021, and passenger train services from Shokhuvi to Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh and Mendipathar in Meghalaya have also been introduced.

Upon its completion, the project will facilitate the transportation of essential commodities such as food grains, petroleum products, automobiles and various infrastructure and construction materials to Nagaland at a significantly reduced cost compared to the present scenario, the NFR release maintained. This development will greatly benefit the local population, as it is anticipated to provide a substantial boost to the state's economy by providing a cheap and reliable means of communication to the local population, it added.

It must be noted here that a breakthrough occurred for the project on February 20 with the commencement of underground excavation with the Deputy Commissioner of Chümoukedima, Abhinav Shivam doing the ceremonial task of inaugurating the excavation.