Salasar Completes INR 170 Crore Assam Railway Electrification Work

Salasar Techno Engineering Ltd. has completed the physical execution of the Lumding–Badarpur Hill Section railway electrification project in Assam under a INR 170 crore contract awarded by RITES Ltd.

The project covers 172 route kilometres (RKM) and 228 track kilometres (TKM) across the hilly terrain of the Northeast Frontier Railway network. The project formed the final stretch of Assam’s railway electrification programme, following which the Ministry of Railways announced 100 percent railway electrification across the state in September 2026, according to the company.

The electrification work involved installing railway infrastructure across steep, landslide-prone hills where cloudbursts and difficult terrain posed challenges to construction. Salasar carried out foundation work, installed traction masts and overhead electrical lines, and commissioned two traction substations at Langting and Haflong. The project also included eight switching stations to support the distribution of traction power along the corridor.

The company executed the work in phases, with sections undergoing safety inspections and trial runs before being cleared for operations. The 54-track-kilometre Lumding–Langting stretch passed safety inspections and locomotive trial runs in May 2023. The 51-track-kilometre Chandranathpur–Badarpur section and the 32-track-kilometre Langting–Maibong section received safety certification in March 2024.

In August 2026, the Northeast Frontier Railway began operating electric goods trains on the Lumding, Langting and Maibong sections. Electrical Inspector to Government (EIG) clearances for the Bandarkhal and Jatinga Lampur switching stations were obtained on July 30 and August 5, 2026, respectively.

The Lumding–Badarpur Hill Section is a broad-gauge railway corridor connecting the Barak Valley, Mizoram, Tripura and parts of Manipur with the rest of India. The electrification is expected to reduce dependence on diesel locomotives and lower emissions from railway operations, supporting Indian Railways’ goal of achieving a net-zero carbon emission network.

The upgraded corridor also supports freight movement and the transportation of strategic supplies through the region, where difficult terrain and weather conditions can complicate railway operations.

Commenting on the project, Shashank Agarwal, managing director of Salasar Techno Engineering Ltd., said that the work involved challenges ranging from installing traction masts on landslide-prone slopes to obtaining the required safety clearances. He acknowledged the support of RITES Limited and the Northeast Frontier Railway in executing the project.

The project adds to Salasar Techno Engineering’s railway infrastructure portfolio. The company operates across engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), manufacturing and infrastructure services, with activities spanning telecommunications, power transmission and distribution, railways and renewable energy.