After 2 decades, Rail expansion in North East to be a reality.

India Railways’ expansion in the North East is finally gaining some momentum. Three out of the five key railway projects, identified by the Prime Minister’s office as ‘critical’ for the North East are near their completion. The ones about to be completed include the first rail connectivity to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh along with crucial gauge conversion between Rangpara to North Lakhimpur which will connect Arunachal Pradesh to the rest of the country. The three projects cost a total of more than `3,000 crore. Two other crucial projects in the North East Bogibeel bridge connecting the North and South Bank in Arunachal Pradesh, costing about `4,500 crore  is expected to be completed by 2016, but officials express their doubt by saying that it ‘depends on the availability of funds’. Similarly Lumdig-Silchar gauge conversion announced way back in 1996 might have to wait little longer for its completion.