Photo Courtesy: nenews
Kohima: Northeast Frontier Railway officials have set a firm 2029 deadline for the 78.42-km Dimapur to Kohima rail link. General Manager Ashish Bansal inspected the rugged worksites this week. He surveyed tunnels, bridges, and station yards. The project pushes through Karbi Anglong in Assam plus the Chümoukedima and Kohima districts in Nagaland.
Construction is heavy work. Crews face complex geological conditions and difficult terrain daily. They are boring through 20 tunnels totaling 31,169 metres. The line also requires 27 major bridges and 149 minor bridges. Teams are currently working multiple tunnel faces at once. Bansal told staff they must maintain "the highest standards of quality, safety and engineering excellence."
This link brings Kohima into the national railway network for the first time. The route features eight stations: Dhansiri, Dhansiripar, Shokhuvi, Molvom, Pherima, Piphema, Menguzuma, and Zubza. Three are already finished. Workers commissioned the 16.5-km Dhansiri to Shokhuvi section in October 2021. They finished the 14.64-km Shokhuvi to Molvom leg in March 2025. Trains currently shuttle passengers from Shokhuvi to Guwahati and Naharlagun.
Officials expect the completed line to spike tourism and trade. It will boost access to healthcare and education. Bansal demanded better coordination between all stakeholders to hit the target. He wants the momentum to hold steady until the job is done.
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