Railway electrification project will soon touch North Eastern Region as the railways have set the target for completion of electrification work up to Guwahati by the 12th five year plan.
An official release stated that “work of electrification between Barauni-New Jalpaguri-Guwahati is planned for completion during 12th five year plan.” It added that work on electrification of Barabanki-Gorakhpur-Barauni-New Jalpaiguri route was already in progress.
Though the railways have a limited network in the North Eastern Region, with only two state capitals – Guwahati and Agartala – presently connected, the New Jalpaiguri-Guwhati section is one of busiest routes in the country.
The electrification of New Jalpaiguri-New Bongaigaon-Guwahati rail line is a sanctioned work and is a part of Barauni-Katihar-Guwahati, including Katihar-Barsoi, railway electrification project, for which adequate budget provisions have been kept during 2011-12.
There have been also demands for extension of the electrification project up to Tinsukia in Upper Assam. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi too had earlier written to the railway ministry for taking up the Guwahati-Tinsukia electrification work. Besides, double tracking of Guwahati-Tinsukia section too has been demanded by the state.
Works are presently underway to extend railway network up to Itanagar, the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh.
