A section of the Dimapur (Dhansiri)–Kohima (Zubza) New Railway Line Project, which the Northeast Frontier Railway today informed is making steady progress. (Photo Courtesy: NFR)
Dimapur, January 23 (MExN): The Dimapur (Dhansiri)–Kohima (Zubza) New Railway Line Project, which will connect Nagaland’s capital Kohima to the national railway network for the first time, is making “steady progress,” the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) announced on Friday.
Once completed, the 78.42-kilometre railway line is expected to mark a historic milestone for Nagaland by providing direct rail connectivity to Kohima and strengthening transport links across the North-Eastern region.
According to a press release issued by NFR, the project traverses Karbi Anglong district of Assam and Chümoukedima and Kohima districts of Nagaland. The alignment includes eight stations—Dhansiri, Dhansiripar, Shokhuvi, Molvom, Pherima, Piphema, Menguzuma and Zubza—of which Dhansiri, Shokhuvi and Molvom have already been completed.
The railway line involves complex engineering works, including 20 tunnels with a combined length of 31,169 metres, along with 27 major bridges and 149 minor bridges. Substantial portions of these tunnels and bridges have already been completed, the NFR stated.
The project has been commissioned in phases. The Dhansiri–Shokhuvi section, measuring 16.5 kilometres, was commissioned in October 2021, followed by the commissioning of the 14.64-kilometre Shokhuvi–Molvom section in March 2025.
At present, regular train services are operating from Shokhuvi, connecting it with Guwahati in Assam and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh. These services have provided smoother, safer and more reliable travel options for passengers, the release said.
With the commissioning of Molvom station, Nagaland now has its third major railway station. Molvom also commenced freight operations in September 2025, further expanding the state’s rail-based transport and logistics capacity.
The new railway line is expected to improve access to education, healthcare, employment and markets, while reducing dependence on road transport by offering a comfortable, affordable and time-efficient alternative for travel and movement of goods.
Work on the remaining sections of the Dimapur–Kohima (Zubza) railway line is currently in progress. NFR has set a target of completing the entire project by 2029.
