Guwahati: The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northeast Frontier Circle, Sumeet Singhal has authorized train operations on the newly laid 15.7 km broad-gauge (BG) line section connecting Assam’s Murkongselek to Arunachal Pradesh’s Sille on February 12 and 13, 2026.
Following successful inspection and speed trials, trains can now run on the route at a maximum permissible speed of 110 km/h.
This section is part of the ongoing 26.15 km Murkongselek Pasighat new railway line project, aimed at enhancing rail connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh.
The line runs from Murkongselek in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and includes three new stations: Sille, Labo, and Pasighat, along with 27 major bridges.
The project is expected to facilitate increased passenger and freight movement in the region while improving travel convenience for local residents. Once completed, the line will extend long-distance connectivity up to Pasighat via the Rangiya Murkongselek route and the Bogibeel Bridge, linking the region more efficiently with major destinations across the country.
The state capital, Itanagar, was first connected to India’s broad-gauge network with the commissioning of the Harmuti Naharlagun line in March 2014. Passenger services on that route began on April 7, 2014, and the Naharlagun New Delhi AC Express was introduced in February 2015, providing Arunachal Pradesh with its first direct rail connection to the national capital.
The Murkongselek Pasighat line is expected to reduce travel time and transportation costs, ensure reliable supply of essential goods, boost regional trade, support tourism, and promote economic development in Arunachal Pradesh by improving mobility and connectivity between Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and the rest of the country.