A map provided by NFR showing the proposed 3rd and 4th railway lines between Aluabari Road and New Jalpaiguri under the Northeast Frontier Railway. (Image Courtesy: NFR)
Maligaon, July 31 (MExN): The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of the 3rd and 4th railway lines between Aluabari Road and New Jalpaiguri under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).
The proposed project spans 57 kilometres and is estimated to cost approximately Rs 1786 crore and is expected to significantly bolster rail infrastructure in the North-East and eastern regions of India, inforemd an NFR release.
The additional lines will help reduce congestion, improve travel time, and increase the efficiency of passenger and freight train operations along the high-density Delhi–Guwahati route, it said.
The corridor, which passes through Bihar’s Kishanganj district and West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, and Uttar Dinajpur districts, is strategically important due to its proximity to international borders with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, it added. As per the release, the infrastructure development will include seven stations, 99 bridges, three Road Over Bridges, and eight Road Under Bridges.
Once operational, the upgraded section is expected to handle an additional 21.6 million tonnes of cargo annually, saving around Rs 2551 crore in logistics costs and conserving approximately 2.14 crore litres of diesel each year, the NFR maintained. The project is expected to ease traffic on existing lines, facilitate better movement of goods such as tea, timber, and agricultural produce, and boost local and regional economic growth, it added. The NFR also affirmed its commitment to executing the project efficiently, ensuring long-term benefits to connectivity and development in the region.
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