Union Budget Allocates Rs 10,440 Crores for NE Railway Infrastructure
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 3, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed significant progress in ongoing railway projects in the northeastern region, with a substantial budget allocation of Rs 10,440 crores for FY 2025-26, reflecting a remarkable increase compared to previous years.
Key Takeaways
- Rs 10,440 crores allocated for railway infrastructure in the Northeast.
- Progress in ongoing projects is reported to be advancing well.
- New tracks constructed since 2014 exceed 1824 km.
- 478 flyovers and underpasses built since 2014.
- Electrification of tracks expected by December.
Guwahati, Feb 3 (NationPress) Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that the progress of ongoing railway projects in the northeastern region is proceeding smoothly.
During a virtual media interaction, the minister highlighted that, despite the challenging geography, project teams are working around the clock to ensure timely completion.
He reported that since 2014, 1824 km of new railway tracks have been laid in Assam and other northeastern states, surpassing the entire rail network of Sri Lanka.
As per the Railways Minister, 478 new flyovers and underpasses have been completed in the northeastern states since 2014.
Furthermore, a total of 1189 route kilometres have been earmarked for the implementation of Kavach across the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) zone, he added.
NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, along with NFR General Manager (Construction) Arun Kumar Choudhary and senior officials from the NFR headquarters located in Maligaon near Guwahati, were also part of the discussion.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) operates within the northeastern states, encompassing seven districts in West Bengal and five districts in north Bihar, managing over 6400 Km of track.
Both NFR General Managers announced that 92 stations in their zone will undergo transformation as part of the Amrit Bharat stations scheme. The electrification of all tracks under the NFR's jurisdiction is expected to be completed by December this year.
The Bhairabi-Sairang project in Mizoram is anticipated to be finalized by July this year, as noted by the General Managers.
Officials revealed that the Gross Budget Allocation for railway infrastructure in the northeast for the fiscal year 2025-26 stands at Rs 10,440 crores. This amount is over five times greater than the average allocation of Rs 2,122 crores from 2009 to 2014.
This year’s budget reflects extraordinary growth across various sectors, including new line and doubling projects, track renewal, traffic facilities, road safety initiatives, bridge construction, signalling enhancements, workshop upgrades, and improved customer amenities.
