Wagon overhaul workshop, Indo–Bhutan line to drive growth in Bodoland
Maligaon (Guwahati), Oct 23: Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has launched several infrastructure and connectivity projects aimed at transforming the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) of Assam into a regional railway hub. The initiatives are designed to enhance economic growth, generate employment, and strengthen integration with the national rail network under the government’s Viksit Bharat vision.
A major component of this effort is the proposed Wagon Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop at Basbari in Kokrajhar district. General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava recently inspected the site with senior officials and Bodoland Territorial Council representatives.
The Rs. 256.35 crore (Phase I) facility, spread over about 2,500 bighas, will initially handle 75 wagons per month, later expanding to 250. Located near Basbari station and Rupsi Airport, the workshop is expected to become a key logistics centre, creating jobs and developing skills for local youth.
NFR is also advancing the 69-km Kokrajhar–Gelephu New Railway Line Project, a cross-border Indo–Bhutan link declared a Special Railway Project by the Government of India. With an estimated cost of Rs. 4,033 crore, the line will connect Kokrajhar in Assam with Gelephu in Bhutan, opening new opportunities in trade, tourism and regional cooperation under India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, modernization work is underway at key BTAD stations including Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Udalguri, Tangla and Majbat. The upgrades include redevelopment of station buildings, improved amenities and circulation areas, and new façade designs to offer passengers enhanced facilities.
Major trains such as the Vande Bharat Express and Rajdhani Express now halt at Kokrajhar, linking the Bodoland region directly with major cities. New stoppages of express and passenger trains at Gossaigaon Hat, Fakiragram, Basugaon, Bijni, Tangla, Udalguri and Majbat have further boosted regional connectivity. With electrification and doubling projects progressing swiftly, NFR reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable, inclusive development in Assam’s BTAD region.
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