DIMAPUR, AUGUST 1 : The 90.5 km long Broad Gauge (BG) line connecting Dhansiri-Zubza in Nagaland would be fast tracked into completion within three years, instead of the original deadline March 2020. This assurance was given by Union Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu in Dimapur on Monday.
Before unveiling the foundation stones at Dimapur railway station to mark the launch of the new railroad project, the Union minister informed that he had told the railway officials to begin construction works in all three sections of the project simultaneously.
The original plan of the railway authorities was to execute the project in three separate phases. The first phase would have covered 16 km stretch between Dhansiri and Sukhovi. The next phase was to involve 30 km construction between Sukhovi and Khaibong. And the final stretch would have been between Khaibong and Zubza with a distance of 45 km.
But on Monday morning, after his arrival here, the minister is said to have questioned the railway officials as to why all the three phases could not begin at the same time. By starting construction works simultaneously, he said, the entire project would be shortened to three years – instead of the four years period if the same was executed in phases.
Thus, after discussion with the railway officials, Prabhu delivered the assurance that the entire project would be completed by 2019. This project has been declared as a National Project in 2007. According to Prabhu, the present government in Delhi was in the “process of ensuring that the northeast (region) develops faster than the rest of India.”
The Dhansiri-Zubza project is part of the Indian Railway’s ambitious plan to connect all the capital cities/towns of the northeast states by broad gauge railway line. Due to “very steep gradient” beyond Zubza, the railway line has been terminated 19 km short of Kohima.
Similar projects to connect other capital cities/towns of the states of Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim are also underway. According to Prabhu, a comprehensive plan on how to meet the aspirations of local people of northeast region would be finalised and soon be presented to all the chief ministers of the NE states.
In Nagaland, he said, all the new stations (7 in total) would be designed and built incorporating the “local themes” to ensure that the newly installed train stations would reflect the local culture. The Union Railways was planning to invest Rs 35-40 thousand crore for the northeast in the next 5 years, he informed.
Prabhu also shared that the Railway ministry would like to start skill development centres at “Dimapur and Kohima or anywhere” to help train the youths of Nagaland. Also the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which according to the minister is India’s largest e-commerce portal, would be advised to explore the possibility of marketing handloom and handicraft products of Nagaland.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain also assured the people of the state that all efforts would be undertaken to complete the project before its targeted deadline.
The Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya expressed his confidence in the expertise and capability of the engineers of Indian Railways for speedy completion of the project and called upon the people of the state to extend all co-operations and help to the Railways and its contractors in executing the project.
Terming the day as a Red Letter Day, the Chief Minister of Nagaland T. R. Zeliang said the State Government would do its best to help Railways acquire land for all projects and appealed to people of the state to co-operate in the process of land acquisition as railway connectivity would help the state economically. He requested the Railway Ministry to expedite the process of approval for the proposed Dimapur – Tizit new BG railway line and reconsider the proposal for Dhansiri – Karong new railway line with a provision for extending it along the National Highway up to Imphal as this would provide a shorter route to Imphal and beyond to Myanmar in line with the Look East Policy of the government.
Keeping in line with the avowed policy of the Indian Railways to provide Rail connectivity to all the state capitals of the Northeast, the Project of 88-km long Dimapur to Zubza (Kohima) new broad gauge line was sanctioned by Railway Board in 2007-08. Considering its importance, it was declared a National Project in 2007. The new line will take off from the existing Rail head at Dhansiri Railway station in Karbi Anglong District, 19 Km short of Dimapur, and reach Zubza which is 16 Km short of Kohima. Construction of this Railway line would bring the capital city of Kohima onto Broad Gauge Railway Map of India.
MLA of Dimapur Tovihoto Ayemi, Member (Engineering) of the Railway Board A. K. Mittal, General Manager of N. F. Railway Chahatey Ram, General Manager of N. F. Railway Construction Organization H. K. Jaggi, Senior Railway officials and Senior State Government officials of Nagaland and hundreds of people were present in the function.
