Indian Railways Sanctions ₹69,342 Cr for 12 North East Projects; 777 Km Expansion Underway

To enhance rail connectivity in the North East Region (NER), Indian Railways has sanctioned 12 major projects, eight new lines and four doubling works, spanning 777 km, with a total investment of ₹69,342 crore. As of March 2025, 278 km have been commissioned and ₹41,676 crore spent.

New lines account for 448 km, of which 113 km are completed, while doubling projects cover 329 km, with 165 km commissioned. The average annual infrastructure budget for the region has surged from ₹2,122 crore (2009–14) to ₹10,440 crore in FY 2025–26, almost fivefold.

Between 2014–25, 1,840 km of new track was commissioned in NER compared to just 333 km between 2009–14, marking a nearly threefold increase in pace. Key completed projects include the Bogibeel Bridge, Agartala-Sabroom new line, and Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion.

Ongoing high-value projects include the ₹18,562 crore Jiribam-Imphal new line, the ₹6,911 crore Dimapur-Kohima route, and multiple doubling and third-line projects to boost capacity. Under the PM Gati Shakti NMP, 17 rail surveys covering 1,790 km have been sanctioned in the last three years to strengthen future connectivity.

Similarly, in the North Eastern Railway zone, 17 infrastructure projects (656 km of new lines, 541 km doubling, and 56 km gauge conversion) totaling 1,253 km and ₹20,466 crore have been approved. As of March 2025, 354 km are completed with ₹10,486 crore invested.

Recently completed projects include the Ghazipur City–Tarighat new line, Lucknow–Pilibhit gauge conversion, and several key doubling works such as Varanasi–Madhosingh–Allahabad and Ballia–Ghazipur City.

A total of 46 surveys spanning 1,878 km have been approved on North Eastern Railway over the last three years, paving the way for future expansion. Project timelines are subject to land acquisition, clearances, and site-specific conditions.