Maligaon (Assam) [India], February 3 (HBTV): The Indian Railways has allocated INR 11,486 crore for Assam and the North Eastern states in the 2026-27 budget, marking a fivefold increase compared to 2014 and reaffirming its focus on faster, safer, and future-ready rail connectivity across the region, according to an official report released on Monday.
According to an official statement from Indian Railways, a major infrastructure push is underway in Assam and the Northeast, with railway projects worth INR 72,468 crore currently in progress. Surveys for new railway lines are also being conducted to further expand the network, while rail connectivity to Bhutan from Kokrajhar to Gelephu, spanning 69 km, is under planning.
The report stated that stalled railway projects have resumed and that work in Sikkim and Nagaland is progressing at a rapid pace, significantly enhancing both regional and international connectivity.
One of the most significant infrastructure developments highlighted in the report was the launch of the nation’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train services on the Kamakhya–Howrah route, connecting Assam and West Bengal on January 17, 2026.
The following day marked another milestone with the commencement of Assam’s first Amrit Bharat Express train services on the Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak and Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) routes, the statement added.
During the inauguration of the Vande Bharat Sleeper services and the launch of the Amrit Bharat Express trains, a Varanasi–Siliguri via Patna bullet train corridor was proposed, with plans to extend it to Guwahati in the future, which would bring the Northeast into India’s high-speed rail network.
The statement further noted that railway network expansion and electrification have accelerated across Assam and the Northeast under the Northeast Frontier Railway since 2014. Around 1,900 km of new tracks have been laid, five Northeastern states are now fully electrified, and Assam has achieved 98 per cent electrification. A total of 2,839 km has been electrified across the region.
In addition, 502 flyovers and underpasses have been constructed, while the Kavach safety system has been sanctioned for 1,197 km, with work currently underway on 235 km, the statement added.
(ANI)