Executed under a ₹1.7 billion contract for railway engineering consultancy RITES Ltd, the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section was the final link in Assam’s railway electrification programme.
Salasar Techno Engineering Ltd, a Ghaziabad-headquartered engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) player, has completed the physical execution of the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section electrification project in Assam. The project delivered the final rail corridor required for Indian Railways to achieve 100 per cent railway electrification across the state in September 2026.
Executed for railway engineering consultancy RITES Ltd under a ₹1.7 billion contract, the project covered one of the most challenging railway stretches in the Northeast, traversing steep terrain vulnerable to landslides and cloudbursts.
The electrification programme spans 172 route kilometres and 228 track kilometres along the strategically important Lumding-Badarpur corridor. Salasar executed foundation works, installed traction masts and strung high-voltage overhead equipment through difficult mountain terrain with limited clearances. The company also commissioned two traction substations at Langting and Haflong and eight switching stations to ensure reliable power supply along the route.
Commenting on the achievement, Shashank Agarwal, Managing Director, Salasar Techno Engineering Ltd, said, “The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section tested us at every step, from anchoring masts on landslide-prone slopes to securing rigorous safety clearances, and our teams delivered with discipline and perseverance. We are grateful to RITES and the Northeast Frontier Railway for their trust and support. This corridor is a lifeline for the region, and seeing it move to clean, reliable electric traction is what makes the effort worthwhile.”
The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section serves as the principal broad-gauge freight and passenger rail corridor linking the Barak Valley, Mizoram, Tripura and parts of Manipur with the rest of the country. The shift from diesel to electric traction is expected to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency and support Indian Railways’ broader ambition of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
The electrified corridor is also expected to improve operational reliability and freight movement through a route that plays a critical role in both civilian and strategic logistics.
The project was commissioned in phases. The 54-track-km Lumding-Langting section cleared safety inspections and locomotive trials in May 2023. The 51-track-km Chandranathpur-Badarpur section and 32-track-km Langting-Maibong section received safety certification in March 2024.
In August 2026, Northeast Frontier Railway began operating electric freight trains on the Lumding, Langting and Maibong sections. The final Electrical Inspector to Government clearances for the Bandarkhal and Jatinga Lampur switching stations were secured on July 30 and August 5, paving the way for completion of the corridor.