Dimapur-Zubza rail project goes off-track due to lockdown

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 2 (EMN): The construction work of the much-awaited new broad gauge (BG) railway line under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) from Dimapur to Zubza has been hit with shortage of manpower due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

The ambitious 82.3-km railway line, which is expected to be completed by 2021, is yet to complete its first phase of work.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, the deputy chief engineer of the project from NFR, V Hauzel, said: “Work is going on at the moment but with meagre workforce, since labourers have left Nagaland due to Covid-19.”

Hauzel informed that earlier, construction materials were not available but after the relaxation of some of the restrictions, all the required materials are slowly flowing in. He added that they have started receiving cement from Meghalaya.

The deputy chief engineer informed that ‘things are starting to come to normal again’; but maintained that it would be difficult to move at the same pace of work as before.

The PRO of Railway for the BG project told this newspaper that construction work of the project was going on at some places, where labourers were available.

‘But work has not started completely since 40% of the labourers have left Nagaland due to the Covid-19 situation,’ he said.

When queried about the completion of the first phase of work, he informed that around 80% of work has been completed but was doubtful whether the project could be completed in time due to the current situation.

He said that “work will start in full swing when labourers are available”. There is no fund constraint at the moment, he added.

It may be mentioned that the Railway Ministry had informed in November last year that the “latest” anticipated cost of the railway project from Dimapur to Zubza in Kohima is INR 3,000 crore and it had incurred an expenditure of INR 729.89 crore till March 2019.

The project is supposed to be executed in three phases: Dhansiri-Sukhovi section (Phase-I), Sukhovi-Khaibong section (phase-II), and Khaibong-Zubza section (Phase-III). The new rail line is expected to have a speed of 100 kmph.