Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway has emerged as a key driver of socio-economic development across the North East over the past 12 years, recording significant progress in railway infrastructure, connectivity, electrification and passenger services.
As per NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the zone has accelerated the pace of railway development with the support of enhanced budgetary allocations, which have increased nearly fivefold from an average of Rs 2,122 crore during 2009–14 to Rs 11486 crore for 2026–27.
Sharma said railway electrification, which was virtually non-existent before 2014, has now covered more than 95 per cent of the network. Over 4,170 route kilometres have been electrified, enabling faster, greener and more efficient train operations.
He added that NFR has laid more than 2,000 kilometres of new railway tracks, including new lines and doubling projects, while extending rail connectivity to the state capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram.
Major strategic railway projects in Sikkim, Nagaland and Manipur are progressing steadily and are expected to further strengthen connectivity across the region, Sharma said.
Passenger convenience has also received a significant 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 improved amenities including lifts, escalators, digital ticketing facilities and upgraded station infrastructure.
NFR is currently undertaking several transformative projects, including the construction of a new rail-cum-road bridge alongside the existing Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati and a Wagon Periodic Overhauling Workshop at Basbari in Kokrajhar.
The railway zone is also expanding international connectivity through the proposed Banarhat–Samtse and Kokrajhar–Gelephu rail links with Bhutan, initiatives expected to boost cross-border trade and support economic growth in the region.
Showcasing NFR’s focus on safety, freight development and environmental conservation, Sharma said more than 500 Road Over Bridges moreover Road Under Bridges have been constructed across the network. The zone has also introduced AI-based elephant intrusion detection systems and installed innovative canopy bridges for hoolock gibbons to minimise human-wildlife conflict and protect biodiversity.