Lumding-Furkating and Agthori-Kamakhya to Get Double Lines
The Ministry of Railways has given the green light to the doubling of railway tracks in critical sections to increase the existing line capacity, streamline train operations, reduce congestion, and enhance travel and transportation. The proposal for the doubling of lines between Saraighat Bridge on the Brahmaputra River and Lumding-Furkating, as well as Agthori-Kamakhya, was approved by the Cabinet.
Currently, there are two bridges over the Brahmaputra River near Kamakhya. Of these, the existing rail-cum-road “Saraighat Bridge” was commissioned in 1964. It features a single-line railway track on its lower part and provision for a two-lane road on the upper part. Presently, most of the operation on the New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Agthori-Kamakhya section is on a single line. The doubling work is in progress, and this section is expected to be operational soon. To fully realize the benefits of doubling the New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Agthori-Kamakhya section, the remaining part, i.e., the doubling of the Agthori-Kamakhya section, is necessary. The estimated cost of doubling the Agthori-Kamakhya section, including the proposed Saraighat Bridge over the Brahmaputra River, is Rs 1,650.37 crore, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways having a 41% share. The lower part of the bridge will accommodate the double railway line, and the upper part will have a three-lane road. The northern end of the bridge will connect Agthori Station, and the southern end, spanning 3.07 kilometers, will connect Kamakhya Station. Apart from the construction of additional infrastructure, this section will create significant employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled manpower in the surrounding districts.
The doubling of the Lumding-Tinsukia-Dibrugarh 381 km long line also got approval as part of the Lumding-Furkating (140 km) section. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 2,333.84 crore. This project encompasses 18 railway stations. The doubling of this section will directly benefit the local population in Hojai, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts of Assam and Dimapur in Nagaland. It will also boost rail connectivity to the upper districts of Assam and Nagaland. Upon completion of the project, there will be an increase in railway transportation capacity, benefiting people of all classes, and freight transportation will become more affordable. Besides fuel savings and reduced travel time, the overall economic outlook of the surrounding areas will significantly improve.
These two multi-tracking projects will add an additional 179 km in Assam and 21 km in Nagaland. The Cabinet also approved four other multi-tracking projects, bringing the total financial outlay for all six projects to Rs 12,343 crore.
