Guwahati, Feb. 4: Tawang, situated at 9,000 feet near the Sino-Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, has been identified by the Centre as one of three destinations under its new railway projects in the frontier state.

The general manager (constructions), Northeast Frontier Railway, H.K. Jaggi, said here today that the Centre would spend an estimated Rs 50,000 to 70,000 crore for construction of railway lines between Bhalukpong and Tawang (both in Arunachal), Silapathar (Assam) and Bame (Arunachal) and Murkongselek (Assam) and Pasighat (Arunachal).

"The survey for railway lines from Murkongselek (Assam) to Pasighat has started while the rest will begin within this year. The ministry of defence wants the railway network in the border areas and for this we have to carry out soil test and study of the geology for construction of the new lines. This will give a boost to our economy and help in defence requirements," Jaggi said at a news conference at the NFR headquarters here at Maligaon.

Sources said the ministry of defence had identified Tawang as one of the strategic routes under its proposal for construction of railway lines along China, Nepal and Pakistan borders.

The move to construct the railway lines along the Arunachal Pradesh border is of strategic importance given the fact that the entire state is claimed by China as its own.

Minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain, who addressed the news conference along with NFR general manager Chahatey Ram, said 24 per cent increase in the Centre's allocation to NFR in the budget suggested the importance the Prime Minister is giving the Northeast.

"Apart from Sikkim, we are connecting almost the entire Northeast. We have connected Itanagar in Arunachal, Tripura and Nagaland while work is under way to connect Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya. Apart from broad gauge conversion, the entire main line section of the NFR has been covered under electrification project. Already, 1,102km lines have been sanctioned for electrification at an estimated cost of Rs 1,432 crore," Gohain said.

The budget had announced several new railway projects in Assam, including a survey to connect Garmur in Majuli island (see chart).

"The congestion at Guwahati railway station will reduce once the elevated four-lane lines are ready between Kamakhya and New Guwahati," he said. Guwahati railway station will become a wayside station while major trains will run from New Guwahati and Kamakhya after construction of the elevated tracks.

Rajdhani late

The Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express is regularly running late by at least an hour as NFR has decided to reduce its speed between Dibrugarh and Guwahati in order to prevent elephant deaths on tracks.

Fifteen elephants have died in two years after being hit by trains, mainly in the 40-km stretch between Chaparmukh and Lumding in central Assam.