Rail-link to be extended from Dimapur to Zubza in Nagaland

Kohima, Oct 26 (UNI) The Ministry of Railways has decided to extend the rail-link in Nagaland from Dimapur to Zubza, about 15 km from here, in a few years.

Informing this, official sources said the decision to extend the linkage from Dimapur to Zubza was made two years ago by the Ministry and an amount of Rs 850 crore was sanctioned, in this regard.

Accordingly, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), with its headquarters at Maligaon in Guwahati, has taken up the project during the eleventh Five Year Plan for the implementation of the 40 km rail line, apart from conducting necessary surveys.

It is noteworthy that Dimapur had a railhead for trains running between Nagaland and Manipur.

An NFR team, along with the members of the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) under the Ministry of Railways, recently arrived Dimapur to make the assessment of the alignment mapped out.

It would also make a survey on the topography of the areas through which the rail line would pass.

According to sources, the first phase of the construction would begin with laying 20-km tracks up to Chumukedima, out of which about five km would pass through the hilly areas.

It is likely to be completed within a period of three years, out of the total estimated period of seven years for the full project, sources added.

According to sources, the proposed railway link would connect 24 villages and towns through its route with the final halt at Thizama under Kohima district.

There were proposals to build three bypass tunnels all along the 40-Km long routes, sources said adding the track alignment was subject to alteration after the final assessment.

Sources also said work of the construction of the railway line would start as soon as possible after the completion of formalities between the Government of Nagaland and the NFR authorities.

The NFR authority was expected to start work for construction by April next, sources further informed.

UNI AS SB SS1222