08-07-2025
DPR for Lanka–Silchar line ready: NFR GM
Silchar: The detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Lanka–Silchar railway line via Chandranathpur is complete and will be sent to the ministry of railways in Delhi within the next 48 hours, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) general manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava confirmed on Monday.
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Shrivastava shared the update during a meeting with Rajya Sabha MP from Silchar, Kanad Purkayastha, at the NFR headquarters in Maligaon. The 150-km proposed line is being seen as a potential game-changer, especially in light of the recurring landslides on the Lumding–Badarpur hill section, which remains the sole rail link for the Barak Valley, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.
The alternative routes are currently under active consideration by the Railway Board.
According to NFR sources, survey work on the project is progressing steadily, with a target to complete it by Dec this year.
During the high-level meeting, Purkayastha also tabled a series of demands aimed at improving rail infrastructure in the region. He urged NFR to upgrade and maintain the vulnerable Silchar–Lumding section and proposed that the Silchar–Rangiya Express be operated on Saturday and Sunday nights to enhance weekly connectivity.
He also sought daily operations for the Silchar–Mahisashan passenger train, which currently runs on a limited schedule.
Another key demand was the replacement of ageing ICF coaches with modern LHB coaches on all major trains running through the Barak Valley. The NFR GM welcomed the proposals and assured the MP that necessary steps will be taken to address these issues.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, MP Kanad Purkayastha termed the discussions "constructive and forward-looking" and thanked GM Shrivastava for his "positive and responsive" approach.
The meeting was also attended by Assam minister Krishnendu Paul, former MLA Shiladitya Dev, and senior BJP leader Subrata Bhattacharjee.
