Massive Rail Infra push in NE: ₹69,000 cr sanctioned for 777 km of new projects
In a landmark move to strengthen rail connectivity in the North Eastern Region (NER), the Government of India has sanctioned 12 major railway projects—eight new lines and four doubling projects—covering a total length of 777 kilometers at a cost of ₹69,342 crore. This ambitious expansion is aimed at increasing line capacity and improving access across the remote and strategically vital northeastern states.
Out of the 777 kilometers, 278 kilometers have already been commissioned, with an expenditure of ₹41,676 crore incurred up to March 2025. The breakdown includes 448 kilometers of new lines, of which 113 kilometers have been commissioned, and 329 kilometers of doubling works, with 165 kilometers completed.
This announcement reflects a dramatic scaling-up of infrastructure investment in the Northeast. The average annual railway budget for projects in NER has grown nearly fivefold—from ₹2,122 crore per year during 2009–2014 to ₹10,440 crore in 2025–26.
The pace of rail commissioning in the region has also increased significantly. Between 2009 and 2014, only 333 kilometers of new track were commissioned, averaging 66.6 kilometers per year. From 2014 to 2025, that number has surged to 1,840 kilometers, an annual average of 167.27 kilometers—more than triple the previous rate.
Since 2014, several transformative projects have been completed in the region, including the iconic Bogibeel Bridge (92 km, ₹5,820 crore), Agartala-Sabroom new line (112 km, ₹3,170 crore), and Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion (510 km, ₹3,019 crore), among others. Major doubling projects like Digaru-Hojai (102 km, ₹1,873 crore) and New Bongaigaon-Agthori (143 km, ₹2,048 crore) have also been executed.
Currently, several key projects are underway in the region. These include the Jiribam-Imphal new line (111 km, ₹18,562 crore), Dimapur-Kohima line (82 km, ₹6,911 crore), Bhairabi-Sairang line (51 km, ₹5,521 crore), and New Bongaigaon-Guwahati doubling (176 km, ₹2,950 crore).
The government is also actively planning future expansion. In the past three years and current financial year, 17 new surveys—13 for new lines and 4 for doubling—covering 1,790 kilometers have been sanctioned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. Notable among these are proposed new lines like Zubza-Imphal (150 km), Lanka-Silchar via Chandranathpur (208 km), and Sairang-Hbichhuah in Mizoram (223 km), along with doubling surveys for Guwahati-Lumding (181 km) and New Jalpaiguri-Kamakhya (421 km).
These projects, once detailed project reports (DPRs) are finalized, will undergo consultations with stakeholders including state governments and require clearances from institutions like NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance.
Parallelly, the North Eastern Railway zone is also seeing major infrastructure development. As of April 1, 2025, 17 railway infrastructure projects (eight new lines, one gauge conversion, and eight doubling projects) totaling 1,253 kilometers and costing ₹20,466 crore have been sanctioned. Out of these, 354 kilometers have been commissioned and ₹10,486 crore has been spent up to March 2025.
Significant projects completed in this zone include the Ghazipur City-Tarighat new line (17 km, ₹1,766 crore), Indara-Dohrighat gauge conversion (34 km, ₹213 crore), and doubling works like Ballia-Ghazipur City (65 km, ₹650 crore) and Rosa-Sitapur Cantt-Burhwal (181 km, ₹2,094 crore).
This massive infrastructure push underlines the central government’s strategic commitment to integrating the Northeast with the national rail grid and accelerating socio-economic development in the region. ( With inputs from PIB)
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