Rangiya-Murkongselek section (including Rangapara North-Dekargaon, Balipara-Bhalukpong & Harmuti-Naharlagun branch lines)
Harmuti Junction an important railway station on Rangiya–Murkongselek section
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleAssam
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Northeast Frontier Railway
Technical
Line length450 km (280 mi)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad gauge
ElectrificationYes
Route map

km
Up arrow
0
Rangiya
Left arrow
5
Khandikar
15
Goreswar
28
Khoirabari
39
Tangla
49
Harisinga
60
Udalguri
73
Rowta Bagan
82
Majbat
0
Panchnoi
(closed NG section)
89
5
Hugrajuli
closed NG section
8
Sapoi Siding
9
Sapoi Hat
13
Dibru Darrang Siding
15
Dherai Siding
17
Monmohinipur Road
20
Dhekiajuli
21
Dhekiajuli Tea Estate
24
Sirajuli
32
Singri
99
Dhekiajuli Road
106
Belsiri
111
New Missamari
113
Misamari
Gabharu River
118
Borjuli Road
Thakurbari T.E No. 1
123
Rangapara North Junction
124
Rangapara
127
Borjuli Tea Estate
(closed NG section)
127
Thakurbari
132
Sessa
138
Bindukuri
142
Dekargaon
closed MG section
146
Dadhora Halt
150
Tezpur
planned bridge on
Brahmaputra River
Down arrow
129
Borjuli
131
Nahorani Siding
132
Balipara Junction
139
Char Duar
145
Gamani
166
Bhalukpong
planned connection
Tenga
Dirang
Tawang
140
Jiabharali
148
Dhalaibil
154
Nagsankar
161
Nizchatia
173
Vishwanath Chariali
183
Monabari
190
Niz Bargang
199
Bedeti
206
Helem
210
Tetonbari
215
Brahmajan
225
Gohpur
234
Dubia
243
Uttarkathani
249
Tatibahar
257
Tipling
Dikrong River
266
Harmuti Junction
276
Gumto
285
Naharlagun
270
Tanijan
279
Kathal Pukhuri
286
Silanibari
296
North Lakhimpur
planned connection
304
Lilabari
313
Siajuli
321
Boginadi
331
Subansiri
340
Gogamukh
Bame
Aalo
345
Na Nadi
352
Bordloni
Kumotiya River
359
Jiadhal
365
Dhemaji
373
Moridhal
377
Sripani
384
Sisibargaon
planned connection
388
Silapathar
386
New Sisibargaon
396
Tangani
Down arrow
398
Archipathar
403
Dimov
408
Dipa
Simen River
412
Simenchapari
418
Dekapam
422
Jamjing
425
Telam
Dikhari River
433
Laimekuri
442
Jonekarang
450
Murkongselek
463
Sille
469
Rani
480
Pasighat
under construction ↑
planned ↓
Roing
Tezu
Parshuram Kund
Down arrow
Sources:
  • Google Maps
  • Indian Railway Time Table
  • Presentation on Development of Rail Infrastructure
    in the Northeast Region

The Rangiya-Murkongselek section is a 450 km (280 mi) long railway line connecting Rangiya in Kamrup district with Murkongselek in Dhemaji district in the Indian state of Assam. The entire section is under the jurisdiction of Northeast Frontier Railway.

History

Tezpur-Balipara Light Railway

The Tezpur-Balipara Light Railway was built as a 20 mi (32 km) long, 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) narrow gauge railway line between Tezpur and Balipara in 1895 with the primary aim of transporting tea from upcountry estates to the river port of Tezpur for onward shipment down the Brahmaputra to Calcutta. A 2 miles (3.2 km) extension to this line was made from Rangapara, then a station on this line, to Borjuli Tea estate as well. However, this line was closed to traffic on 1908.[1]

This line continued to operate until 1952 before it was taken over by the North Eastern Railway and was converted to metre gauge.[2]

Singri-Panchnoi River Tramway

The Singri-Panchnoi River Tramway was a privately owned narrow gauge line that ran northwards from Singri Ghat on the Brahmaputra River to the environs of Hugrajuli. The line opened in 1919 to transport tea down to the Singri Ghat.[3][4]

Eastern Bengal Railway

Tracks were laid at Rangiya as a part of the extension of Eastern Bengal Railway's main metre gauge line from Sarbhog to Amingaon in 1909.[5] The Tangla extension was built from Rangiya to Tangla in 1912.[6] The line was extended to Rangapara North station on the Tezpur-Balipara Light Railway by 1933.[2]

Post-independence

Post-independence the metre-gauge line was extended from Rangapara North to Murkongselek. The Balipara-Bhalukpong branch line was built in 1989–90.[7]

Conversion to broad gauge

The conversion of this section to broad gauge started on 2007–08. The Rangiya-Rangapara North-Dekargaon section was converted and opened for traffic in 2013. The Tezpur railway station was abandoned however owing to its proximity to Brahmaputra river which caused frequent flooding and Dekargaon railway station became the terminus of the branch line. The Rangapara North-Harmuti & Harmuti-North Lakhimpur sections were converted in 2014 and the North Lakhimpur-Sripani section was converted and opened in 2015. The final stretch between Sripani and Murkongselek along with the Balipara-Bhalukpong branch line was converted and opened to traffic in May 2015 as well.[8]

Branch lines

The Balipara-Bhalukpong branch line was built in 1989–90.[7] The line was converted to broad gauge in May 2015.[8]

The Harmuti-Naharlagun branch line was announced in 2008 and was opened in 2014 as a part of the Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion project. This was declared a national project considering that it connected Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, with the Indian railway network.[9]

The Bogibeel Bridge was sanctioned in 1997 and work started on it in 2002. It was intended to link the Rangiya-Murkongselek section on the north bank of the Brahmaputra with the Lumding-Dibrugarh section in the South bank. The work was completed on 2018 and the first train across the bridge was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[10]

Proposed projects and extensions

Three national projects of strategic importance are proposed in this section primarily focusing on providing connectivity with Arunachal Pradesh. A broad gauge railway track is proposed from the existing rail head at Bhalukpong to Tawang via Tenga & Dirang. Another Lakhimpur-Bame-Silapathar line is proposed from North Lakhimpur to Silapathar via Bame & Aalo The terminal station of the section is also expected to be moved from Murkongselek to Parshuram Kund in Arunachal Pradesh, via Pasighat and Tezu and to further connect it to the Lumding–Dibrugarh section at Rupai.[11]

The 25 km (16 mi) long Silghat Town-Dekargaon new line project has been sanctioned to connect Silghat on the south bank of Brahmaputra on the Chaparmukh-Silghat branch line with Dekargaon. This also entails the building of a new railway bridge across the Brahmaputra River.[12]

References

  1. Government of India (1918). Bombay Baroda And Central India Railway System.
  2. 1 2 "[IRFCA] The Tezpur Balipara Light Railway". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  3. Singri, Naveen (12 February 2003). "Acute Renal Failure". JAMA. 289 (6): 747–51. doi:10.1001/jama.289.6.747. ISSN 0098-7484. PMID 12585954.
  4. "1934 Bradshaw, page 314b". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  5. Government of India (1918). Bombay Baroda And Central India Railway System.
  6. Government of India (1918). Bombay Baroda And Central India Railway System.
  7. 1 2 "[IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Gauges in India". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion done".
  9. "Arunachal Pradesh now on India's railway map". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  10. "Bogibeel bridge Assam: Narendra Modi inaugurates India's longest rail-road bridge in Assam". The Times of India. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  11. "RAIL CONNECTIVITY ENHANCEMENT IN NORTH EASTERN STATES" (PDF).
  12. "NORTHEAST FRONTIER RAILWAY Assets-Acquisition, Construction and Replacement for 2019-20" (PDF).
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