Assam: Budget 2018 sanctions 100% electrification of NF Railway
Guwahati
The days of electric locomotives hauling railway traffic in NF Railway are not far as budget 2018 has sanctioned electrification of entire length of NF Railway at an estimated cost of Rs. 2, 353 crores.
With the sanctioning of electrification of 2536 kms of track, the whole of NF Railway track length including all branch lines would now be covered by electric traction.
Four railway electrification works for electrification of a total of 1102 km of railway tracks at an estimated cost of Rs. 1432 crore were sanctioned in last year’s Budget. The sections currently being electrified are – New Bongaigaon – Agthori via Rangiya, New Bongaigaon – Kamakhya via Goalpara, Guwahati to Dibrugarh via Tinsukia & Simaluguri to Dibrugarh & Raninagar Jalpaiguri to Samuktala.
It is to be mentioned that, electrification of railway tracks up to Katihar and between Katihar and Old Malda has been completed and first passenger train on the Katihar – Old Malda section ran on 24th January this year. Currently, trains coming to and going out from N. F. Railway change from diesel traction to electric traction at Katihar. Presently work is in progress for electrification upto Guwahati, which is to be completed by January, 2020.
The following sections have been sanctioned in this year’s budget:
| Sl No | Section | Route KM | Cost (Rs. Cr) |
| 1. | Katihar-Teznarayanpur, Barsoi-Radhikapur & Eklakhi-Balurghat Single line | 176 | 154.87 |
| 2. | Katihar-Jogbani | 109 | 109.91 |
| 3. | Aluabari – Siliguri via Bagdogra | 76 | 59.6 |
| 4. | Raninagar – Haldibari | 34 | 27.71 |
| 5. | New Jalpaiguri – New Mal Jn. – Alipurduar – Samuktala and Alipurduar – New Coochbehar (including New Mal Jn. – Changrabandha, New Changrabandha – New Coochbehar, New Coochbehar – Bamanhat, New Coochbehar – Fakiragram – Dhubri) | 506 | 475.31 |
| 6. | Rangiya – Rangapara – Harmuti – Naharlagun (including branch line) | 339 | 311.09 |
| 7. | Harmuti – Murkongselek (including branch line) | 230 | 237.52 |
| 8. | Chaparmukh – Silghat Town (including Senchoa Jn. – Mairabari) | 130 | 109.35 |
| 9. | Mariani – Jorhat Town – Furkating and Tinsukia Jn. – Makum – Tirap and Makum – Dangri | 174 | 183.99 |
| 10. | Lumding – Badarpur | 172 | 189.04 |
| 11. | Badarpur – Silchar (including Arunachal – Jiribam, Katakhal – Bhairabi) and Badarpur – Karimganj – Agartala – Sabroom (including Agartala – Akhaura and Karimganj – Mahishashan) | 590 | 494.24 |
