Nagaland’s capital city Kohima is all set to be connected by Broad Gauge rail connectivity in 2026.
The project is part of the Government’s bid to connect all capital cities of northeast by rail and is being executed by the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR).
NF Railways CPRO Sabysachi De on Tuesday (28 March) asserted that the construction work has been going on in full swing and they are fully confident to complete the project within the deadline.
The Project
The NFR zone is executing the 82.50-km-long Dimapur-Kohima Broad Gauge rail line project at a cost of around Rs 6,663 crore. The project is being carried out in three phases.
The first phase from Dhansiri to Shokhuvi is 16.5-km long and was commissioned on 29 October 2021.
The second phase is 28-km long and extends from Shokhuvi to Pherima, for which contracts have been awarded. It is targeted for completion by March 2023.
The 38-km Pherima-Zubza stretch is the last phase of the project and involves intense hilly areas. It is targeted for completion by March 2026.
The new rail line includes eight new stations — Dhansiri, Dhansiripar, Shokhuvi, Molvom, Pherima, Piphema, Menguzuma and Zubza, which is near Kohima.
The project includes 24 major bridges and 156 minor bridges, four road over bridges, 18 road under bridges, as well as 14 limited height subways. It also has 21 tunnels of a total 31 km length. The tunnel between Pherima to Piphema is the longest of this project which is of 6.5 km length.
Project working conditions to do with the tough topography of the site, the security environment, and a limited working season on account of the long rainy season in the state have affected the progress.
On The Rail Map
Earlier in August last year, the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, had flagged off the extension of Donyi Polo Express (15817/15818) from Shokhuvi Railway Station in Nagaland.
Donyi Polo Express previously ran between Guwahati in Assam and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh. It has now been extended to Shokhuvi Railway Station via Dhansiri Railway Station in Nagaland, thus establishing direct rail link between Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Nagaland.
The launch marked a historic day for Nagaland, as the state got its second railway station after a gap of more than 100 years, with the Dhansiri–Shokhuvi railway line.
Significance
According to the NFR zone, the new BG rail line from Dimapur to Kohima, once completed, will serve as a new mode of connection between the state capital and the rest of the nation.
The new rail connectivity will largely help in boosting Nagaland’s economy, besides making freight transportation easier and promoting tourism.