How Are Ambitious Railway Projects Transforming Northeast India?

New Delhi, Sep 13 (NationPress) Once viewed as a remote landscape, the northeast region is now being interconnected through ambitious railway initiatives—indicating not only enhanced connectivity but also a transformative era of commerce, mobility, and integration for India’s northeastern frontier, as stated by the government on Saturday.

A significant development is the inauguration of Mizoram’s 51 km Bairabi–Sairang railway line by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, marking a pivotal moment that has officially placed Aizawl on India’s railway network.

“Previously reliant on a few isolated stations, the region is now on the brink of a railway renaissance. Since 2014, railway funding for the area has surged fivefold, reaching ₹62,477 crore. This fiscal year alone has seen an allocation of ₹10,440 crore. With projects amounting to ₹77,000 crore underway, the region is experiencing the highest level of railway investment in its history,” the government reported.

In states like Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur, long-stalled projects are at last connecting state capitals to the national grid. In Tripura, railway lines have reached the borders, while Meghalaya has welcomed its inaugural railway station. Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Assam are advancing with new lines, electrification, and doubling efforts. Each state's progress illustrates how railways are reshaping Northeast India.

The 51-km Bairabi–Sairang line, constructed at a cost exceeding ₹8,070 crore, has finally made Aizawl’s grand entrance onto the railway tracks.

The state also celebrated the launch of three new train services: the Sairang-Delhi Rajdhani Express, Sairang-Guwahati Express, and Sairang-Kolkata Express.

Mizoram’s railway journey dates back to the late 1980s when Bairabi station was established near the Assam border as a Metre-Gauge station.

In 2016, it was upgraded to broad gauge under the 83.55 km Kathakal-Bairabi Gauge Conversion Project, receiving its first freight train consisting of 42 wagons of rice, with a passenger service inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Looking forward, the ongoing 223 km Sairang–Hbicchhuah project aims to extend tracks to Mizoram’s southern border, facilitating direct trade routes to Myanmar and Southeast Asia through Sittwe port, the government mentioned.

In Nagaland, Dimapur, which opened in the early 20th century, was the state’s only railhead for over a century. In 2022, Shokhuvi joined as the second station.

The 82.5 km Dimapur–Kohima new line is making headway, with the Dhansiri–Shokhuvi section commissioned in October 2021 and the first passenger service, the Donyi Polo Express, launched in August 2022.

The Shokhuvi–Molvom section was completed in March 2025, while the remaining stretch from Molvom to Zubza (near Kohima) is in progress.

By October 2026, the Molvom–Pherima segment (14.09 km) is expected to be operational, followed by the Pherima–Zubza section (37.57 km) set for December 2029, marking a notable achievement in bringing rail connectivity to Nagaland’s capital, Kohima.

In Tripura, the 152 km Badarpur–Agartala line was converted to broad gauge in April 2016. The Agartala–Sabroom line (112 km) extended railway access to the southernmost part of Tripura, near the Bangladesh border, in phases from 2016 to 2019.

The entire railway network in Tripura is now electrified, with plans for doubling works up to Agartala.

In Manipur, the Jiribam station, close to the Assam border, transitioned from metre gauge to broad gauge in March 2016 under the 49.61 km Arunachal–Jiribam project.

The 110.625 km Jiribam–Imphal line is currently under construction. The first segment from Jiribam–Vangaichungpao (11.8 km) was commissioned in February 2017, followed by the Vangaichungpao–Khongsang (43.56 km) segment.

From 2014 to 2017, 833.42 km of Metre-Gauge tracks in the Northeast, including 671.52 km in Assam, were converted to Broad Gauge. Major gauge conversions include Lumding–Silchar (210 km), North Lakhimpur – Sripani (81.46 km), and Katakhal - Bairabi (75.66 km), among others.

Sections of Double Line Projects such as Lumding–Furkating (140 km) are set to commence in 2026, while segments of Digaru–Hojai (102 km) have been completed between 2020 and 2022.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Naharlagun station, linking Itanagar, was inaugurated in April 2014 under the 21.75 km Harmuti–Naharlagun New Line Project.

The Balipara–Bhalukpong line transitioned to broad gauge in May 2015 as part of the 505 km Rangiya–Murkongselek project. The Murkongselek–Pasighat line is currently being constructed: Murkongselek–Sille (15.6 km) is expected by October 2025, and Sille–Pasighat (10.55 km) is due in February 2026.

In Sikkim, the 44.96 km Sevok–Rangpo line is under development and is aimed for completion by December 2027, marking the state’s first railway connectivity.

In Meghalaya, Mendipathar became the state’s first railway station in 2014 as part of the 19.62 km Dudhnoi–Mendipathar project, which includes 8.67 km of railway tracks within Meghalaya.