Kokrajhar–Gelephu rail link likely in three years, Assam project fast-tracked; Bengal stretch hits land hurdles

Work on the proposed railway line connecting Kokrajhar in Assam with Bhutan’s Gelephu is expected to be completed within three years once construction begins, senior Northeast Frontier Railway officials said on February 2, underlining Assam’s smoother progress compared to delays faced in West Bengal.

Addressing a press conference, NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava said Indian Railways is pursuing two key rail connectivity projects with Bhutan. One involves a 69-kilometre railway line from Kokrajhar to Gelephu in Bhutan, while the second is a 20-kilometre stretch connecting Banarhat in West Bengal with Samtse in Bhutan.

Chief Administrative Officer, NFR (Construction), Hitendra Goyal said the Assam project is on a firm footing and is likely to be completed within three years after work commences. He credited the Assam government for its proactive approach, noting that the state administration has been positive and cooperative in facilitating the project.

In contrast, officials said the Banarhat–Samtse railway line in West Bengal is facing significant hurdles, particularly related to land acquisition. Progress on the project has been slow as the required land passes through four tea gardens, complicating acquisition efforts. Officials claimed that the response from the West Bengal government has been delayed, making it difficult to commit to any completion timeline for the project at this stage.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier announced both projects, describing them as strategically important initiatives expected to boost trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges between India and Bhutan. Officials noted that Gelephu and Samtse are among Bhutan’s major export-import hubs along the nearly 700-kilometre India-Bhutan border.

They also highlighted that the Government of Bhutan is developing Gelephu as a “mindfulness city” and Samtse as an industrial town, increasing the long-term economic significance of the proposed rail links. The Kokrajhar–Gelephu line has been declared a Special Railway Project, a status that allows faster clearances and expedited land acquisition, reinforcing confidence over its timely execution.