North-East India Railway developments

[gentem]

Originally Posted by _Mihir13

Arunachal to figure on rail map

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/12082590.cms

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh will soon figure on the railway map of the country with the North East Frontier Railway (NEFR) planning to flag off the first train service from Naharlagun on December 12.

NEFR deputy chief engineer S Kanojia gave this assurance to governor J J Singh after an aerial visit of the ongoing project on Tuesday evening, official sources said.

"This is my word...that the train would be flagged off on the scheduled date," Kanojia assured the former Army chief during the trip, the sources said.

Kanojia stated that all train services were suspended along the 450-km Rangia-Murkongselek line in Assam for its conversion from meter to broad gauge under the Centre's massive expansion programme and the work for the mega block began simultaneously all along the route in September last year.

He said while the Rangia-Rangapara portion would be completed by March next, the Rangapara-North Lakhimpur portion would be over by December 12 and North Lakhimpur-Murkongselek by March 2013.

About 80 per cent of the 20-Km Harmuti-Naharlagun route that also comprises 50 culverts and bridges has been completed with railway tracks laid at many portions.

"We would meet the deadline," he said.

There is Bogibeel Rail Bridge under construction across brahmaputra in the end of that line connecting Dibrugarh

[Indtrans]

Good news for Arunachal Pradesh people.

[World8115]

Good info on Bogibeel bridge - http://www.railway-technology.com/pr...l-rail-bridge/

[gentem]

Rail Budget likely to cater to TMC aspirations in N-E
Source : PTI Last Updated: Sat, Mar 10, 2012 11:42 hrs

The seven north-eastern states, which hold the key for Trinamool Congress to emerge as a national party, could be bestowed with a slew of new rail projects in the upcoming Rail Budget.

The Railway portfolio, which falls in its kitty, will be utilised by the party to make inroads in these states, where it has already made some gains by opening its account in the Arunachal Pradesh assembly and is eyeing the forthcoming Tripura polls.

TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi had visited Nagaland, his first state visit, after becoming Railway Minister.

Trivedi is expected to make a special mention of the need for improving connectivity in North-East with the announcement a few trains and new rail line in the region as "socially and economically desirable."

Presenting the Rail Budget last year, the then Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced measures to connect the seven capitals of N-E region to the rail network, on which Trivedi is expected to propose steps to expedite the mission.
Ads By Google

TMC, the regional party aiming to have the status of a national party, got a boost after winning seven seats in Manipur assembly in the recently-held elections. Earlier, TMC had won five seats from Arunachal Pradesh.

Much attention is also likely to be placed on the states in the other parts of the country where Railway Minister had visited to gauge the aspirations of the people.

Buoyed with the success in two N-E states, Trinamool is all set to contest in Tripura assembly elections next year.

"Tripura assembly election is crucial for TMC as winning from here will enable the West Bengal-based party to attain the national party status," sources in TMC said. MORE

[Ashis Mitra]

Originally Posted by gentem

There is Bogibeel Rail Bridge under construction across brahmaputra in the end of that line connecting Dibrugarh

But still up to Naharlagun, when train will reach at Itanagar?

[PlaneMad]

Originally Posted by Ashis Mitra

But still up to Naharlagun, when train will reach at Itanagar?

Itanagar connection is unlikely in the near future because of the high cost for the next few kms due to the terrain http://osm.org/go/5BzC_Sg

[Bombay2Calcutta]

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/...d=mar2412/at08

NE MPs call for completion of pending rail projects

NEW DELHI, March 23 – Lack of development of the region has been blamed on a long string of delayed railway projects in the North-east, with MPs calling for a fresh strategy to execute the pending ventures.
Participating in the discussion on the Railway Budget, several MPs slammed the failure of the Railways to complete the long-pending projects in the region.

Participating in the discussion in Rajya Sabha, Biswajeet Daimary said that this year no new project was announced for the region perhaps because whatever projects were sanctioned in the past 10-15 years are yet to be completed. The North-east is an isolated and backward region and therefore it should be seen in a different light, he suggested, adding that there is a need to frame a special policy for the region.

Listing out the pending projects, he said there was a proposal to connect Manipur with railway but the State is yet to see trains in the State. A portion of Nagaland is connected till date and Arunachal Pradesh is yet to see railway connectivity. Tripura has rail connection but when the entire country has BG connection, the State was connected with MG.

Daimary further underlined the need to complete the Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion project. Some years ago it was proposed that neighbouring Bhutan would be connected with railways but no work has started so far. He suggested that a line connecting Siliguri to Rangapara and beyond to Tezpur would be more useful.

Participating in the discussion Kumar Deepak Das said progress of the projects, which have been declared ‘national projects’ including Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion as very slow paced.

Two new trains have been announced between Kamakhya and Tezpur via Rangiya and Rangapara. But the gauge conversion work on this line has not been completed till date.

Though the new railway budget has declared three new trains, two trains which were declared earlier by a previous minister in her budget speech have not been started yet. There is no reflection on that declaration status in this budget.

In Lok Sabha, Joseph Toppo complained that Railways has not paid any special attention towards North Eastern States in the current budget. The projects started in North Eastern States so far have either been discontinued mid-way or are lagging behind schedule. The construction work of Bogibeel Rail Bridge in Assam is lagging much behind schedule.

BJP MP Kabindra Purkayastha said that gauge conversion projects, conditions of the rails, security, electricity and other facilities should be given adequate consideration. Work on setting up of a railway medical college in Assam University should be taken up. A railway line from Assam to Kolkata via Bangladesh should also be introduced, he said.

[anidel]

Go and sit outside the house of mamta the culprit she have sabotaged the railway's future along with India's future.

[abarag08]

Railway Budget 2012 was a good one in general..But was a disappointing for NE of India... :'(

[jumoni]

Forgive me for my ignorance but I see one railway line under construction from Dudhnoi (Assam) to Tura (Meghalaya). Wasn't aware of this line under construction. Approximate length would be 90-100km. The railway overbridge over NH31 is almost complete (Thankfully they have kept pillars wide enough to widen the NH to 4 lane ). I will just check for some pictures and update. Currently land-filling/levelling is going on.

[_Mihir13]

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets...nel/5391078616

HCC bags order for construction of railway tunnel for Jiribam - Tupul Railway Line.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfee...ur/983231.html
HCC receives Rs 162-cr contract for rail tunnel in Manipur
PTI | 06:04 PM,Apr 05,2012
Mumbai, Apr 5 (PTI) Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) today said it has bagged a Rs 162-crore order from North Frontier Railway to develop a rail tunnel. Under the contract, the leading infrastructure company will build a tunnel between Kambiron Road and Thingou stations on the new railway line coming up between Jiribam and Tupul in Imphal, Manipur. HCC will be developing the tunnel with its Hyderabad- based JV partner Coastal Projects, in which it holds 60 per cent stake. The project is expected to be completed in 28 months, HCC said in a statement here. The scope of the project involves construction of a single line 3.3km long tunnel, RCC portal walls, permanent tunnel support, rock supporting system and ancillary work, it said. This is the third order HCC has received from North Frontier Railway on Jiribam-Tupul rail line. In 2010, the company was awarded two contracts worth Rs 197.06 crore and Rs 312.82 crore for construction of two tunnels of 3.25km and 4.69km lengths, respectively, the statement added. PTI

[World8115]

[_Mihir13]

A google search gave me this result:

http://zolengthe.net/2012/03/24/jiri...to-take-shape/

Its Meter Gauge. Though if you see the sleepers carefully - they have provision for BG. What is it actually going to be? BG or MG? They conducted the test with a MG Alco.

[World8115]

It is BG - link1, 2

[_Mihir13]

Yea, May be it is broad gauge - but at least the picture in the above link shows a MG Line and MG Alco Locomotive.

[Madurai]

Can someone tell me why some of these sections while having provisions for BG, still running on MG?

[PlaneMad]

Originally Posted by Madurai

Can someone tell me why some of these sections while having provisions for BG, still running on MG?

Because the entire Silchar division along with the Lumding-Silchar link to the rest of IR is metre gauge.

Change to BG will only happen once the Lumding BG alignment is ready.

[Madurai]

Originally Posted by PlaneMad

Because the entire Silchar division along with the Lumding-Silchar link to the rest of IR is metre gauge.

Change to BG will only happen once the Lumding BG alignment is ready.

Thanks. From earlier posts, Lumding-Silchar GC must be getting closer to completion. It will be nice to see BG trains in those areas and eventually getting direct connection to the rest of the country.

[anujkb]

Originally Posted by Madurai

Thanks. From earlier posts, Lumding-Silchar GC must be getting closer to completion. It will be nice to see BG trains in those areas and eventually getting direct connection to the rest of the country.

still a lot is remaining. only 4 of 20-odd tunnels are done. Some crucial section work has not started. Just some 2 months ago only the land acquisition issue near harangajao was solved.