Assam: NFR unveils major railway projects to boost BTAD connectivity, growth

Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has unveiled a series of significant railway development projects aimed at enhancing connectivity, infrastructure, and economic growth in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), as reported by officials on Thursday.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, explained that these initiatives align with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat, designed to accelerate regional development, create job opportunities, and strengthen the integration of BTAD with the national rail network.

One of the major projects is the planned Wagon Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop in Basbari in Kokrajhar district.

NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, along with senior railway officials and Bodoland Territorial Council representatives, recently visited the proposed site.

The state-of-the-art facility, which will be constructed on about 2,500 bighas at an estimated cost of Rs 256.35 crore for its first phase, will initially be capable of overhauling 75 wagons per month, with plans to increase capacity to 250 wagons in future phases.

The workshop’s strategic location near Basbari railway station and Rupsi Airport will turn it into a major logistics center, offering substantial employment and skill development opportunities for local youth while boosting NFR’s wagon maintenance capacity.

NFR is leading the Kokrajhar–Gelephu New Railway Line Project, a 69 km cross-border railway link between India and Bhutan.

Declared a Special Railway Project by the Indian government, the Rs 4,033 crore initiative will connect Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan, fostering increased trade, tourism, and regional cooperation as part of the Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.

This project is expected to position Kokrajhar as a vital gateway for India–Bhutan rail and logistics operations, benefiting the BTAD region significantly.

Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), NFR has also begun modernizing key BTAD stations, including Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Udalguri, Tangla, and Majbat.

The modernization efforts include redeveloping station buildings, enhancing passenger amenities, improving circulation areas, and upgrading station facades to offer world-class services to travelers.

Major trains such as the Vande Bharat Express and Rajdhani Express now regularly stop at Kokrajhar station, providing faster and more comfortable connections for passengers traveling from the Bodoland region to other major cities across the country.

Moreover, NFR has introduced several new train stoppages at important BTAD stations, including Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Basugaon, Bijni, Tangla, Udalguri, and Majbat, significantly improving convenience for local commuters.

With ongoing electrification, track doubling, and infrastructure upgrades, NFR remains committed to driving the socio-economic transformation of Assam’s BTAD region through safe, sustainable, and inclusive railway development.