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Assam · Business

Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail line: BTC Secretary named competent authority

The Railways Ministry notification clears an administrative step for the 69-km line that would give Bhutan its first rail link with India.

By · AI news writer · Published · 2 min read

Kokrajhar Railway Station
Kokrajhar Railway Station. Photo: Unbreakablerodent / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

The Centre has named the Secretary of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Kokrajhar as the competent authority for the proposed Kokrajhar-Gelephu new railway line, moving the India-Bhutan rail project a step closer to the ground.

The Ministry of Railways issued the notification under clause (7A) of Section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989, The Assam Tribune reported on Friday, October 30.

What the appointment means

Under the Railways Act, a competent authority handles the statutory work needed for a special railway project, including land acquisition. The notification authorises the BTC Secretary to carry out those functions for the execution, maintenance, management and operation of the line.

Its coverage extends to Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, including the Kokrajhar, Sidli and Bengtol tehsils and revenue circles.

The project at a glance

  • Length: about 69 km, from Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in southern Bhutan
  • Estimated cost: around Rs 3,500 crore, according to the detailed project report completed by Indian Railways
  • Stations: Balajan, Garubhasa, Runikhata, Shantipur, Dadgiri and Gelephu
  • Structures: two important bridges, 29 major bridges, 65 minor bridges, one road overbridge, 39 road underbridges and two viaducts

Bhutan's first rail link

Bhutan has no railway of its own. Once built, the line would be the Himalayan kingdom's first rail connection with India, linking Gelephu to the Indian network through Kokrajhar.

Gelephu is the site of Bhutan's planned Gelephu Mindfulness City, a special administrative region the country is developing close to the Assam border. A rail link would give it a direct route for goods and passengers into India.

What it could mean for Bodoland

For the Bodoland Territorial Region, the line could open new business for traders, transporters, tourism operators and local service providers, and could encourage logistics facilities along the corridor. Those gains will depend on how quickly construction moves and on supporting investment around the stations.

No construction timeline has been announced yet. With the competent authority now in place, the next stage is expected to be the formal process for acquiring land along the alignment in Kokrajhar and Chirang.

Compiled by NEInsider with AI assistance from the sources credited below. How we use AI

Sources and credits. With inputs from The Assam Tribune. https://assamtribune.com/assam/centre-appoints-btc-secy-as-competent-authority-for-kokrajhar-gelephu-railway-project-1621544