Lumding–Dibrugarh section

Lumding–Dibrugarh section
Overview
Status Operational
Locale Assam
Termini Lumding
Dibrugarh
Operation
Opening 1903
Owner Indian Railway
Operator(s) Northeast Frontier Railway
Technical
Line length 376 km (234 mi)
No. of tracks 1
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification Not electrified / diesel operated

The Lumding–Dibrugarh section is a broad-gauge railway line connecting Lumding and Dibrugarh. The 376-kilometre (234 mi) long railway line is functional in the Indian state of Assam. It is under the jurisdiction of Northeast Frontier Railway.

History

The Assam Railway and Trading Company Limited was incorporated in 1881. The first metre gauge locomotive was put into service in Assam in 1882. The 64-kilometre (40 mi) long line from Dibrugarh steamer ghat to Makum was opened to passenger traffic on 16 July 1883. The objective of opening an isolated railway in upper Assam was to link the tea gardens and coalfields to the steamer ghats. In the latter part of the 19th century, the Dibru-Sadiya railway was 126-kilometre (78 mi) long.[1]

The 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) wide metre gauge railway track earlier laid by Assam Bengal Railway from Chittagong to Lumding was extended to Tinsukia on the Dibru-Sadiya line in 1903.[1][2]

The Mariani-Furkating line was operated by Jorhat-Provincial Railway.[2]

The project for the conversion of the Lumding–Dibrugarh section from metre gauge to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide broad gauge was completed by the end of 1997.[3]

Line doubling

The Guwahati-Lumding-Dibrugarh line was proposed to be doubled in the Railway Budget for 2011-12.[4]

Railway reorganisation

The Assam Railway and Trading Company Limited was merged with Assam Bengal Railway in 1945.[1] With partition, Assam Bengal Railway was broken up and railway lines in Assam came uner Assam Railway.[5] In 1952, North East Railway was formed with the amalgamation of Assam Railway, Oudh-Tiirhut Railway and the Kanpur-Achnera section of Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.[6] Northeast Frontier Railway was created with the splitting of NE Railway in 1958.[5]

New projects

The 123-kilometre (76 mi) long Dimapur-Zubza-Kohima new line project has the status of a National Project. Final location survey has been completed for the entire project.[7][8]

New line surveys

As of 2012, surveys are underway for 6 km (4 mi) long line from Tirap to Lekhapani and 31 km (19 mi) long line from Lekhapani to Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh. Survey for 344 km (214 mi) long new line from Jorhat to Shibsagar was completed in 2010-11. Survey was completed for doubling of 520 km (323 mi) long line from Digaru to Dibrugarh. Survey is in progress for 190 km (118 mi) long new line from Dimapur to Tizit. Survey was completed for 31 km (19 mi) long new line from Amguri to Naginamora. The survey for 9 km (6 mi) long new line from Tuli to Tuli Town has been shelved.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Urban History of India: A Case-Study by Deepali Barua, pages 79-80, ISBN = 81-7099-538-8, Mittal Publications, A-110 Mohan Garden, New Delhi - 110059
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "History of Tinsukia Division". NF Railway. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  3. ↑ "Lumding Dibrugarh GC Project". Process Register. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "State Congress elated, opposition critical". The Assam Tribune, 26 February 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "History". Northeast Frontier Railway. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Geography : Railway Zones". IRFCA. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "North Eastern Region" (PDF). Indian Railways. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  8. ↑ Presentation on Development of Rail Infrastructure in the Northeast Region, Ministry of Development of the Northeast Region
  9. ↑ "Railway’s Surveys Underway". Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Retrieved 20 May 2013.