Major Railway Boost for Bodoland: NFR Launches Projects Worth Rs 256 Cr; Wagon Workshop Planned at Basbari

Guwahati: In a landmark move for Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has rolled out a series of major infrastructure initiatives aimed at establishing strong connectivity and economic growth in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

At the heart of this development is the proposed Wagon Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop at Basbari in Kokrajhar district. The facility is to be built over roughly 2,500 bighas, with a first-phase cost estimated at Rs 256.35 crore.

To begin with, the modern facility will handle about 75 wagons per month and later scale up to 250 wagons monthly. It is strategically placed near Basbari railway station and Rupsi Airport. The workshop is expected to become a major logistics hub, creating employment opportunities and skill-development pathways for local youth.

Beyond the wagon workshop, NFR is also advancing the Kokrajhar - Gelephu new railway line project, approximately of 69 km. This new line will link Kokrajhar in Assam with Gelephu in Bhutan. This Indo-Bhutan cross-border initiative, designated a Special Railway Project by the Government of India, is estimated at Rs 4,033 crore.

In addition, station modernisation across the region is in motion under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). Upgrades at stations such as Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Udalguri, Tangla and Majbat will include modernised buildings, better amenities, enhanced passenger circulation and a fresh look.

Passengers in the Bodoland region are already benefiting from improved services. Important trains, including the Vande Bharat Express and Rajdhani Express now stop at Kokrajhar station, while new stoppages have been added at several other key BTAD stations.

With electrification, doubling of tracks and infrastructure modernisation underway, NFR emphasises its commitment to driving “safe, sustainable and inclusive railway development” in BTAD.

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