Guwahati, Oct 23 (NationPress) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is launching a range of significant railway development initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity, infrastructure, and economic progress in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), as stated by officials on Thursday.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma noted that these initiatives are designed to promote regional advancement, generate jobs, and better integrate the BTAD area with the national rail network under the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Among these initiatives, a key project is the proposed Wagon Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop located at Basbari in Kokrajhar district. Recently, NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava visited the proposed site alongside senior officials and representatives from the Bodoland Territorial Council.

This modern facility, to be established over approximately 2,500 bighas with an investment of Rs 256.35 crore (Phase I), is set to initially manage 75 wagons per month, eventually increasing to 250 wagons per month in subsequent phases. With a strategic location near Basbari station and Rupsi Airport, this workshop will act as a significant logistics hub, creating extensive employment and skill development opportunities for local youth while enhancing NFR’s wagon maintenance capabilities.

The CPRO added that NFR is also advancing the Kokrajhar–Gelephu New Railway Line Project, a 69 km Indo-Bhutan cross-border connectivity venture, which has been designated as a Special Railway Project by the Government of India.

With an estimated cost of Rs 4,033 crore, this railway line will connect Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan, unlocking new prospects for trade, tourism, and regional collaboration as part of the Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.

This project is expected to significantly benefit the BTAD region, positioning Kokrajhar as a vital gateway for India–Bhutan rail and logistics operations.

Sharma mentioned that under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), NFR has commenced modernization efforts at key BTAD stations, including Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Udalguri, Tangla, and Majbat.

These upgrades encompass the redevelopment of station buildings, enhanced passenger amenities, improved circulation areas, and modern façade designs to provide world-class facilities to travelers.

BTAD stations are now more connected than ever. Important trains such as the Vande Bharat Express and Rajdhani Express regularly stop at Kokrajhar station, ensuring swift, comfortable, and premium access for passengers from the Bodoland region to major cities across the country.

Additionally, several new stops for express and passenger trains have been established at key BTAD stations, including Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Basugaon, Bijni, Tangla, Udalguri, and Majbat, greatly enhancing travel convenience for local commuters and improving rail accessibility.

With rapid progress in electrification, doubling, and infrastructure modernization, NFR reaffirms its commitment to fostering the socio-economic transformation of Assam’s BTAD region through safe, sustainable, and inclusive railway development, as stated by the NFR official.