Railway Expansion In Northeast: Rs 74,972 Crore Investment For 18 Projects Covering 1,368 Km, Over 310 Km Length Commissioned

The Indian Railways has ramped up infrastructure development in the Northeast, with an investment exceeding Rs 74,900 crore.

This includes new railway lines, track doubling projects, and enhanced connectivity across the region.

According to a written reply by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha, as on 1 April 2024, 18 railway projects, including 13 new lines and five doubling projects, are currently in various stages of planning, approval, and construction.

These projects span a total length of 1,368 km, costing Rs 74,972 crore, falling fully/partly in Assam and NE Region, of which 313 km have already been commissioned up to March 2024.

Among the sanctioned projects, new railway lines account for 896 km, with 81 km already completed, requiring an investment of Rs 34,616 crore.

Meanwhile, doubling and multitracking projects cover 472 km, with 232 km commissioned so far at a cost of Rs 5,933 crore.

The total expenditure on these projects has reached Rs 40,549 crore as of March 2024.

According to the minister, between 2009 and 2014, the railways commissioned 333 km of new tracks in the Northeast, averaging 66.6 km per year.

This pace more than doubled between 2014 and 2024, with 1,728 km of new tracks laid at an average of 172.8 km per year.

The budget for infrastructure and safety works in the Northeast has also seen a significant boost.

While the average annual outlay stood at Rs 2,122 crore between 2009 and 2014, it has risen to Rs 10,376 crore for the financial year 2024-25—nearly a fivefold increase.

Over the last three years (2021-22 to 2024-25), Indian Railways has sanctioned 933 surveys covering a total of 65,488 km nationwide.

Of these, 21 surveys—spanning 2,499 km—are focused on projects fully or partially in the Northeast, including Assam.

These include 17 new line surveys and four doubling surveys, ensuring future expansion of rail connectivity in the region.

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