The General Budget 2020-21 has proposed an allocation of Rs 4669 crore for Railway projects in Assam and Northeastern States taken together. This is 120% more than the average annual outlay of Rs 2122 crore for the same region during 2009-2014. The proposed outlay includes a number of projects for Doubling of Railway Lines in the region including the newly proposed Doubling of 381-km long Lumding – Tinsukia – Dibrugarh at an estimated cost of Rs. 3810 crore.
Other ongoing Doubling Works which had also been provided funds in this year’s budget are as follows:
1. New Bongaigaon- Rangiya- Kamakhya doubling works (142.97 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 1992 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 200 crore for this project.
2. New Bongaigaon- Goalpara- Guwahati (Kamakhya) double line works (176 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 2232 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 450 crore for this project.
3. Digaru- Hojai double line works (102 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 870 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 400 crore for this project.
Some of the important ongoing new railway line projects of N.F. Railway are as follows:
1. Jiribam-Imphal new railway line project (97.9 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 3458 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 800 crore for this project.
2. Teteliya- Byrnihat new BG railway line project (21.5 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 269 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 100 crore for this project.
3. Dimapur- Kohima new railway line project (88 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 2050 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 300 crore for this project.
4. Bhairabi- Sairang new BG railway line project (51.38 km) in Mizoram at an estimated cost of Rs. 4448 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 400 crore for this project.
5. Sivok- Rangpo new BG railway line project (44.39 km) which will provide first rail connectivity to Sikkim at an estimated cost of Rs. 4084 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 607 crore for this project.
6. Murkongselek- Pasighat new BG railway line project (30.617 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 414 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 200 crore for this project.
7. Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) new BG railway line project (13 km) which will provide international connectivity between India and Bangladesh at an estimated cost of Rs. 252 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 100 crore for this project.
8. Agartala- Sabroom new BG railway line project (110 km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 2928 crore. This year’s budget has allocated Rs. 5 crore for this project.
It may be mentioned here that two projects of total 157 km length including one National Project costing Rs. 4058 crore falling in Assam and North Eastern Region have been commissioned during the year 2019-20:
1. Lumding to Hojai doubling project (45 km) costing Rs. 651 crore got completed and commissioned. 2. Agartala- Sabroom new BG railway line National Project (112 km) costing Rs. 3407 crore got completed and commissioned.
