Kaliabor may get two new rail links, to Khumtai and Tezpur

Kaliabor in Assam's Nagaon district could get better rail connectivity, with two new railway lines proposed to link Shalna with Khumtai in Golaghat district and Silghat with Tezpur, India Today NE reported on Wednesday, November 11.

The proposals came into focus during a visit by Ashish Bansal, General Manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Construction Wing, to Jakhalabandha. Bansal was in the area to review the progress of railway infrastructure works, including the construction of a third railway line from Guwahati.

What the two lines would do

During the visit, Bansal reviewed the proposed links between Shalna and Khumtai, and between Silghat and Tezpur. The lines are expected to improve connectivity for Kaliabor, make passenger travel easier and support economic activity in the area. After the inspection at Jakhalabandha, the NFR official moved on towards Upper Assam.

No cost estimates, route lengths or timelines for the Shalna-Khumtai link were given in the report. Neither line has been announced as sanctioned.

Silghat-Tezpur already has a project report

The Silghat-Tezpur link has been on the drawing board for some time. In February this year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) had been prepared for a 25-km line between Dekargaon (Tezpur) and Silghat, and for a 129-km line between Agthori near Guwahati and Dekargaon, Syllad reported at the time.

Vaishnaw said then that sanctioning the projects would need consultation with stakeholders and approvals from bodies such as NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance, and that the timeline for building them would depend on those processes.

Why it matters

Silghat, on the south bank of the Brahmaputra in Kaliabor, already has a railway station on a branch line, while Tezpur on the north bank is served by Dekargaon station. A direct rail link between the two would connect the Kaliabor area more closely with Sonitpur district across the river.

Khumtai lies in Golaghat district further east. A Shalna-Khumtai line would give the Kaliabor area another rail route towards Upper Assam.

NEInsider will report further when NFR or the Railway Ministry gives details on surveys, costs or approvals for the two proposed lines.