Rail network at Nagaland’s capital likely by March 2023

NE state capitals to be connected via rail network by 2023

Guwahati, July 18 (MExN): The targeted date of completion to connect Nagaland’s capital Kohima with railway network is March 2023, informed the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) today in a statement highlighting investment made by Indian Railways in North East Projects. 

The targeted date of completion for Dimapur–Kohima covering 82 kilometers is March 2023, said the statement issued by NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer. 

Besides Kohima, railway connectivity to all other states’ capitals in the region is expected to be completed by March 23, it added.

However, Imphal (111 Km Jiribam– Imphal) and Shillong (22 km Teteliya-Byrnihat) projects are estimated to be finished earlier than others with the target date of completion as March 2022.

The 44 Km Sivok – Rangpo project to connect Sikkim’s capital Gangtok is also slated to be completed by December 2022, while the target for Mizoram (Bhairabi – Sairang 51 Km) is the same as Kohima. (See Box)

While all the NE States (except Sikkim) are currently connected by Rail network so far, only the state capitals of Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh are under its ambit. 

Rs 27,655 crore investment in NE
Meanwhile, the statement also informed that in the last 6 years, Indian Railways has made Rs 27,655 crore of Capital Investment in NE Projects.

The amount is 160% more than the capital investment of Rs 10,610 crore made during 2009-14, it highlighted, adding that major thrust given in developing rail infrastructure would have a great impact on the socio-economic development of the region.

One of the major projects completed during the last 6 years include the 5 km Bogibeel Rail-cum-Road Bridge across river Brahmaputra, commissioned and dedicated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2018.