Guwahati – Lumding section (180 kms approx) of the Northeast Frontier Railway is vital for railway transportation point of view. This section carries freight and passenger trains for Northeastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland apart from Upper Assam and South Assam districts.
Due to increasing numbers of trains, this section which was earlier a single line BG section, was facing operational constraints. To mitigate the problem, doubling of this section was sanctioned and work was started by dividing the section into various portions.
The Digaru – Hojai section of 102 km length was sanctioned for doubling in the Railway Budget of 2015-16. The foundation stone of the project was laid by the then Railway Minister Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on 10.11.2016. Construction of 11 Major, 73 Minor and 5 Road Over Bridges are involved in this section apart from 36 Lakh Cum of earth work. The revised estimated cost of the work is more than Rs. 2,136 crs.
A total of 50.87 kms were already commissioned during 2020-21. And now by doing comprehensive planning the entire section is likely to be made double line within the Financial Year 2021-22.
Once the doubling of the entire 102 km long Digaru – Hojai section is completed; the train operational capacity of this section under Lumding division will increase. The crossing time of trains can be avoided leading to reduction of journey time. More and more freight trains can be operated for states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland apart from Upper Assam and South Assam areas. Economic activities of these areas will also prosper with better connectivity.