Dimapur–Kohima rail link: NFR aims for full route by 2029

Work on the Dimapur–Kohima rail link is moving ahead, with Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) targeting full completion by 2029, as reported by India Today NE.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The Dimapur (Dhansiri)–Kohima (Zubza) New Railway Line Project is expected to connect Nagaland’s capital to the national railway network for the first time and is seen as a step toward broader infrastructure development across the North-Eastern region.

Dimapur–Kohima railway line project scope and route

The new line is planned at 78.42 kilometres, crossing Assam’s Karbi Anglong district before running through Nagaland’s Chumukedima and Kohima districts. The route includes eight stations—Dhansiri, Dhansiripar, Shokhuvi, Molvom, Pherima, Piphema, Menguzuma and Zubza. Along the alignment, Dhansiri, Shokhuvi and Molvom have been completed.

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Engineering works: tunnels, bridges and alignment challenges

Much of the work centres on heavy civil engineering. The project includes 20 tunnels with a combined length of 31,169 metres, plus 27 major bridges and 149 minor bridges. Significant portions of these structures are already in place, reflecting the scale of construction required on the Dimapur–Kohima railway line.

Phased commissioning and current services from Shokhuvi

The Dimapur–Kohima rail link has been taken forward in phases. The 16.5-kilometre Dhansiri–Shokhuvi section became operational in October 2021, and the 14.64-kilometre Shokhuvi–Molvom section was commissioned in March 2025—a milestone also referenced in a Northeast Frontier Railway update on the project. Regular train services now operate from Shokhuvi, connecting it with Guwahati in Assam and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh, offering passengers safer and more reliable travel options.

With Molvom commissioned, Nagaland now has its third major railway station. Freight operations at the station began in September 2025, extending the corridor’s role beyond passenger connectivity.

Once fully completed, the Dimapur–Kohima rail link is expected to improve access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities and markets, while reducing dependence on road transport by providing a comfortable, affordable and time-efficient travel option.

With construction continuing on the remaining sections, NFR—one of the zonal railways within Indian Railways, as described by Railway Gazette International—has set 2029 as the target year to complete the entire project, positioning the line as a historic connectivity milestone for Nagaland and the wider North-Eastern region.

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