HT Digital
GUWAHATI, Feb 4: The Central Government has allocated Rs 10,440 crore for improving railway connectivity in the northeastern states for the financial year 2025-26, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday.
The allocation is five times higher than the budgetary provisions made during the UPA regime from 2009 to 2014.
Speaking at a post-budget briefing at Rail Bhawan, Vaishnaw highlighted the significant progress in railway infrastructure in the region.
“Since 2014, 1,824 km of new railway tracks have been constructed in Assam and the Northeast, surpassing the total rail network of Sri Lanka,” he stated.
He further noted that 166 new railway tracks have been installed in the region between 2014 and 2025, compared to just 67 installed during the previous government.
Additionally, 146 km of railway tracks have been electrified in the last decade.
The Minister also informed that 18 projects covering 1,368 km of new tracks, worth Rs 74,972 crore, are currently under execution.
Meanwhile, as part of the station redevelopment initiative, Rs 2,039 crore has been earmarked to develop 60 stations in the Northeast as ‘Amrit Stations.’
Prioritizing railway safety, Vaishnaw revealed that 237 tenders and projects are underway to install the Kavach system across 1,189 km of railway routes.
“Since 2014, 478 rail flyovers and underpasses have been constructed,” he added. Passenger convenience is also being enhanced, with 44 lifts and 37 escalators sanctioned for northeastern railway stations.
Under the station redevelopment plan, several key railway stations have received substantial funding, including Rs 283 crore for Dimapur (Nagaland), Rs 202.5 crore for Imphal (Manipur), Rs 187 crore for Rangpo (Sikkim), Rs 39.5 crore for Mendipathar (Meghalaya), and ₹76 crore for Sairang (Mizoram).