Northeast Frontier Railways: Several sections to see capacity enhancement

Indian Railways released its “Vision 2024” document recently. The vision envisages to achieve the target of 2024 MT freight loading by the year 2024.

To achieve the target, capacity enhancing infrastructure projects e.g. new lines, doubling etc., along with electrification with focus on safety have received specific thrust. Ongoing projects have been segregated as Super Critical Projects and Critical Projects throughout the country to achieve the target in a time bound manner.

Additionally, some HDN (high Density Network) & HUN (Highly Utilized Network) routes have been identified for capacity enhancement through speed raising and provision of Automatic Signaling, Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) etc. All these works are targeted to be completed by March 2024. Apart from these, four National Projects of total length 294 km falling in Northeastern Region are also likely to be completed by the time.

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In NFR, 3 HDN and 2 HUN routes have been identified for capacity enhancement through doubling of track by March, 2024. The HDN routes are New Bongaigaon – Rangiya – Agthori, Ambari Falakata – New Maynaguri and New Maynaguri – Gumanihat sections. And HUN routes are New Bongaigaon – Goalpara – Kamakhya & Digaru – Hojai sections. It is also targeted to complete the double line of the Lumding – Furkating section by 2024. Moreover work for doubling of the Katihar – Kumedpur & Katihar – Mukuria sections are also on hand. With this entire section of NFR upto Furkating will have double line track by 2024 which will help to further increase train movements towards the Northeastern Region.

Electrification work up to Guwahati is targeted to be completed by June, 2021. The work for the section between Guwahati and Lumding is targeted for completion by August, 2021. All other remaining sections on NF Railway are targeted for commissioning by March, 2023.

Work of provision of Train Collision Avoidance System is also proposed to be taken on NFR to improve safety in train operation, enable train operation in foggy weather and eliminate cases of signal overshooting and over speeding. Work of HDN portion of NFR is targeted for completion by December, 2023. After completion of all works envisioned in the document entire mainline portion of NFR will be fit to run trains @130kmph.

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