NF railway nears completion of electrification on Mariani-Simaluguri-Dibrugarh route

Dibrugarh, Feb 21: The Principal Chief Electrical Engineer of Northeast Frontier Railway conducted a two-day inspection of the ongoing electrification work on the Mariani Simaluguri and Simaluguri-Dibrugarh sections via Sivasagar. The inspection concluded today, the NF Railway sources informed.

Upon completion, Dibrugarh will be directly connected to Guwahati and beyond through Overhead Equipment (OHE), enabling the Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express and other superfast trains to operate on electric traction. The electrification of the Simaluguri-Tinsukia section is in its final phase, with commissioning targeted for March 25.

Notably, the Lumding-Dimapur-Furkating-Mariani sections have already been commissioned. Additionally, electric locomotive trials for the Mariani Simaluguri Dibrugarh section were successfully conducted on January 31 this year, marking a significant milestone in the region's railway electrification efforts, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the Chief Public Relations Officer of NF Railway stated in a release.

The railway electrification project for the Lumding Dibrugarh route via Tinsukia, along with the Simaluguri - Dibrugarh section and associated sidings under Northeast Frontier Railway is progressing at a rapid pace.

Spanning the Lumding and Tinsukia divisions, the project commenced physical work in May, 2022 and involved extensive infrastructure development.

The project includes the installation of 488 RKM/650 TKM of Overhead Equipment (OHE), five traction substations, 29 switching stations, and five transmission lines spanning over 50 km. Additionally, it comprises the construction of five OHE/PSI depots, five tower wagon sheds, and several civil structures, including 121 staff quarters, administrative buildings and station up-grades.

A significant infrastructure enhancement under this project is the reconstruction of the Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Mancotta Road near Thana Chariali, aimed at improving connectivity be-tween the Dibrugarh (DBRG) and Dibrugarh Town (DBRT) stations.

The electrification of this crucial rail corridor will enhance operational efficiency, reduce dependence on diesel, lower carbon emissions and significantly improve connectivity in the Northeast. The successful completion of these sections will mark a major milestone in railway infrastructure development, ensuring smoother, faster and more eco-friendly train operations for the region, the release from the NF Railway stated.