Northeast Frontier Railway’s General Manager (Construction), Ashish Bansal, recently conducted a thorough safety inspection and review of ongoing development projects in the Eklakhi-Balurghat and Balurghat-Hili sections in West Bengal. The inspection focused on evaluating various aspects such as railway infrastructure, track conditions, station development, bridges, passenger facilities, and the overall progress of the Balurghat-Hili New Broad Gauge Line Project.
The Balurghat-Hili New Broad Gauge Line Project, covering a distance of 29.257 km in West Bengal’s Dakshin Dinajpur district, is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 1,181.09 crore. The project aims to enhance rail connectivity in the region and boost socio-economic growth. Land acquisition for the project, encompassing 156.38 hectares, has been completed, with the acquired land already transferred to the Railways.
Developmental activities under the project include the construction of major and minor bridges, station buildings, road over bridges, road under bridges, staff quarters, track formation, and other related railway infrastructure works. Progress is steadily advancing in different project sections to ensure timely completion by the set target date of March 2027. Safety standards, construction quality, bridge progress, station infrastructure, and operational readiness were key areas of focus during the inspection to ensure future safe and reliable train operations.
The inspection also assessed ongoing Engineering, Procurement, and Construction works in the Balurghat-Kumedpur and Labha-Kumedpur sections. Trolley inspection activities were conducted on May 21 to further monitor safety aspects and developmental progress in the section, with senior officials from the NFR Headquarters and Katihar division of Bihar participating in the inspection. The visit underscores Northeast Frontier Railway’s dedication to enhancing railway infrastructure, improving safety standards, and expediting development efforts to offer secure, efficient rail services in the region.
