Guwahati, June 14 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has emerged as a key driver of socio-economic development in the Northeast over the past 12 years, witnessing unprecedented progress in railway infrastructure, connectivity, electrification and passenger services, officials said on Sunday.

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that, supported by enhanced budgetary allocations, which have increased nearly five-fold from an average of Rs 2,122 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 11,486 crore in 2026-27, the NFR has accelerated the pace of railway development across the region.

One of the most significant achievements during this period has been the completion of the entire metre gauge-to-broad gauge conversion programme in the Northeast, he noted.

According to the official, railway electrification, which was virtually absent before 2014, has now covered more than 95 per cent of the network, with over 4,170 route kilometres electrified, enabling faster, greener and more efficient train operations.

The CPRO said that the NFR has laid more than 2,000 kilometres of new railway tracks, including new lines and doubling projects, while expanding rail connectivity to the capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram.

Major strategic projects in Sikkim, Nagaland and Manipur are progressing steadily and are set to further strengthen connectivity across the region, he stated.

Passenger convenience has received a major boost through the redevelopment of stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the introduction of modern train services such as Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat Sleeper, and the provision of enhanced amenities, including lifts, escalators, digital ticketing facilities and improved station infrastructure.

The NFR is undertaking several transformative projects, including the construction of a new rail-cum-road bridge alongside the Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati and a Wagon Periodic Overhauling Workshop at Basbari in Kokrajhar.

Sharma said that the NFR is also expanding international connectivity through the Banarhat-Samtse and Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail links with Bhutan, which will enhance cross-border trade and economic growth in the region.

The NFR has also undertaken several pioneering initiatives in safety, freight development and environmental conservation.

More than 500 Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges have been constructed, AI-based elephant intrusion detection systems have been introduced, and innovative canopy bridges for hoolock gibbons have been installed, the official said.

With several transformative railway projects under progress, the NFR continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a more connected, modern and prosperous Northeast, he added.

–IANS

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