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Maligaon, November 5 (MExN): Due to increasing numbers of trains, doubling of the Guwahati – Lumding section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which was earlier a single line BG section, has been sanctioned and work was started by dividing the section into various portions, the NFR informed on Friday.
According to a statement from the NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer Guneet Kaur, the Guwahati – Lumding section is vital for railway transportation point of view. This section carries freight and passenger trains for Northeastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland apart from Upper Assam and South Assam districts.
The release stated that the Digaru – Hojai section of 102 km length was sanctioned for doubling in the Railway Budget of 2015-16. The foundation stone of the project was laid by the then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on November 10, 2016 and construction of 11 major, 73 minor and 5 road over bridges were involved in this section apart from earth work. The revised estimated cost of the work is more than Rs 2,136 crore, it added.
“A total of 50.87 kms were already commissioned during 2020-21. And now, by doing comprehensive planning, the entire section is likely to be made double line within the Financial Year 2021-22,” it stated.
Kaur stated that once the doubling of the entire 102 km long Digaru – Hojai section is completed; the train operational capacity of this section under Lumding division will increase. The crossing time of trains can be avoided leading to reduction of journey time. More and more freight trains can be operated for states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland apart from Upper Assam and South Assam areas. Economic activities of these areas will also prosper with better connectivity, he added.
