Indian Railways expansion plans in NE include laying tracks till China border

In order to strengthen the rail network in the country’s northeastern region, Indian Railways plans to lay railway tracks all the way up to the China border in Arunachal Pradesh, connecting all state capitals as well as neighbouring Bhutan.

As per ANI report, Indian Railways will build railway lines from Bhalukpong to Tawang along the China border and Silapathar to Along via Bame, which will have strategic importance once completed because it will connect the border areas in the shortest time possible.

The final location survey for these new railway projects in Arunachal Pradesh is underway, according to the Railway Ministry.

According to ANI, Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northeast Frontier Railway, the NF Railway plans to build a few more new railway projects in the northeastern region, including Arunachal Pradesh.

“We intend to build a new railway line from Bhalukpong to Tawang, Silapathar to Along via Bame, and to extend the railway line from Murkongselek to Pasighat,” Sabyasachi De explained.

Apart from these, De stated that it intends to build a second railway line from Lanka to Chandranathpur in Assam, which will serve as a bypass in the hill section of Assam’s Dima Hasao district.

Notably, railway tracks in some parts of Dima Hasao were uprooted earlier this year due to floods and landslides, but they have been repaired on a war footing and are now fully operational. Railways are also planning to connect with neighbouring Bhutan.

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“We intend to connect Bhutan by railway, with the new line running from Kokrajhar (in Assam) to Gelephu in Bhutan. This new railway line will be approximately 58 kilometres long ” Sabyasachi De explained.

“The capital connectivity projects are underway, and we plan to connect the capitals of Mizoram and Manipur. We may be able to connect to the capitals of Nagaland and Sikkim within the next year. The New Bongaigaon-Rangia-Kamakhya and New Bongaigaon-Goalpara-Kamakhya main lines to Guwahati are being doubled. We have also completed electrification, and we are now expanding beyond Guwahati “De stated.

“We also intend to double the line from Lumding to Tinsukia. By the end of next year, we hope to have electrified the entire NF Railway network. The NF Railway is constructing a few world-class stations. The stations in Kamakhya, New Jalpaiguri, Agartala, Silchar, and New Tinsukia will be upgraded to world-class status. The state capital stations will also be developed as world-class stations, with an emphasis on reflecting the culture and history of the region “NF Railway’s CPRO stated.

Acoording to an NF Railway spokesperson, the northeast division has the most elephant corridors in the country, and the company has developed a system called the ‘Intrusion Dectection System’ to detect animals in the railway lines.

“The NF Railway is the first to implement an Intrusion Detection System to detect animals in railway lines. It is an artificial intelligence-based optical fibre system capable of detecting elephants as they approach railway tracks “De elaborated.

“When other animals approach the railway tracks, the alert message will be sent to the loco pilot, who will be able to stop the train on time. We finished the pilot project in the Lumding-Hawaipur section and the Alipurduar division. We will be able to install the system throughout the elephant corridors”.