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{{Short description|Planned railway line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}
The '''Tetelia-Byrnihat Line''' is a planned railway project in [[Assam]] and [[Meghalaya]], India, to improve connectivity and boost the region's economy.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reporter|date=2023-10-20|title=Coming in favour of railway line in Jaintia Hills|url=https://meghalayamonitor.com/coming-in-favour-of-railway-line-in-jaintia-hills/#google_vignette|access-date=2024-09-04|website=Meghalaya Monitor|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|Cherra Companyganj State Railways}}
In the 19th century, the Cherra Companyganj State Railways had a station called Tharia in Meghalaya, connected to Companyganj in Bangladesh, but it closed after an earthquake damaged the line.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2012-03-15|title=Cherra Companyganj State Railways, a mountain railway that existed 125 years ago|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/cherra-companyganj-state-railways-a-mountain-railway-that-existed-125-years-ago/articleshow/12273380.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2024-09-04|work=The Economic Times|issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Report on the Administration of the Province of Assam|publisher=University of California|year=1901|location=India|language=en}}</ref>

In the late 1970s, there was an attempt to build a railway from Guwahati to Byrnihat in Meghalaya, but local opposition stopped the project before any rails were laid.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Statesman News|date=2023-10-11|title=Meghalaya explores railway projects despite resistance|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/meghalaya-explores-railway-projects-despite-resistance-1503230424.html|access-date=2024-09-04|website=The Statesman|language=en}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2025}}

==Railway in Meghalaya==
{{anchor | Railway }}

===Existing ===
{{anchor | Existing }}

* [[Mendipathar–Guwahati Passenger|Mendipathar–Guwahati line]], total 131 km long with 20 km in Meghalaya connects Meghalaya’s [[North Garo Hills]] to India's rail network, operational since 2014. (first rail line in Meghalaya).<ref name="NFR Mendipathar">{{cite web |title=Mendipathar-Guwahati Rail Service |url=https://nfr.indianrailways.gov.in/mendipathar_line |publisher=Northeast Frontier Railway |date=2024 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

===Under-construction===
{{anchor | Construction }}

{{anchor | Tetelia | Shillong}}
* '''Tetelia-Shillong line''' is divided into two main phases:
** '''Tetelia–Byrnihat line''', 22 kilometers (14 miles) railway line from Tetelia Junction in Assam to [[Byrnihat]] in Meghalaya, project was on hold for a long time because local groups had been protesting against illegal immigration.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Live|first=Northeast |date=2023-08-18|title=Railway project in Meghalaya's East Jaintia hills still on cards: Dy CM|url=https://northeastlivetv.com/around-ne/meghalaya/railway-project-in-meghalayas-east-jaintia-hills-still-on-cards-dy-cm/ |access-date=2024-09-04|website=Northeast Live|language=en-US}}</ref> Despite these challenges, 10 kilometers of the Tetelia–[[Kamalajari Railway Station|Kamalajari]] section have been completed.<ref name=":0" /> Teteliya-Kamalajari (10.15 km) operation in May 2025 but Kamalajari-Byrnihat (11.35 km) completion deadline officially not yet set as of May 2025 as work was stopped by Khasi Student Union in 2017 and remains stopped since then,<ref name=stat25m>[https://nfrlyconstruction.org/Uploads/File/notification/27052025-11_147_ProjectDetails_April2025.pdf_712769690.pdf NFR construction update], nfrlyconstruction.org, May 2025.</ref> however 85% complete in March 2025 with speculative target completion by 2026.<ref name="Tetelia-Byrnihat">{{cite news |title=Tetelia-Byrnihat rail link to open by 2026 |url=https://www.theshillongtimes.com/2025/03/10/tetelia-byrnihat-rail-link-to-open-by-2026/ |work=The Shillong Times |date=10 March 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>
** '''Byrnihat-Shillong line''': 108 kilometers (67 miles) from Byrnihat to Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya,<ref name=":0" /> with 100 bridges with the longest being 701 meters, 10 stations enroute (Byrnihat, Sohkhwai, Lailad, Umsong, Umar, Nongsder, Kyrdemkulai, Umroi, Umpling, and New Shillong), 31 tunnels totaling 39.06 kilometers making up 36.03 percent of the rail's length with longest tunnel 4.14 kilometers long.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-03-13 |title=Meghalaya: NFR to approach MDA 2.0 government pushing for 108 km Byrnihat-Shillong rail line project|url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-nfr-to-approach-mda-20-government-pushing-for-108-km-byrnihat-shillong-rail-line-project-526009-2023-03-13|access-date=2024-09-04|website=India Today NE|language=en}}</ref> As of May 2025, Khasi Student Union has caused problem and stopped work since 2017 while DC and CM have taken no action despite repeated reminders, and [[Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council]] has not handover the land to railway despite receiving Rs 209.37 crore in 2017,<ref name=stat25m/> even though DPR was ready in 2024 and construction may begin in 2026 only if troublemakers make way.<ref name="Shillong Rail">{{cite report |title=Byrnihat-Shillong New Line: Project Report |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/NFR/Shillong_DPR_2024.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Railways |date=December 2024 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

{{anchor | Tura}}
* '''[[Shillong–Tura line]]''', ₹18,000 crore 220 km long via [[Nongstoin]] to [[Tura, Meghalaya|Tura]] in [[West Garo Hills]] with 30+ tunnels in Garo Hills, feasibility study was completed in 2025 but awaiting funding approach for construction.<ref name="Shillong-Tura">{{cite news |title=Shillong-Tura rail link gets feasibility nod |url=https://www.eastmojo.com/meghalaya/2025/05/15/shillong-tura-rail-link-gets-feasibility-nod/ |work=EastMojo |date=15 May 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

{{anchor | Dawki | Jowai }}
* '''[[Dawki–Jowai line]]''', 50 km link within [[West Jaintia Hills district]] from [[Dawki]] land port to Jowai near [[Bangladesh–India border]] is proposed in "Northeast Vision 2040" but has not been surveyed yet as of 2025.<ref name="Dawki-Jowai">{{cite book |title=Northeast Infrastructure Vision 2040 |publisher=MoR |year=2024 |isbn=978-81-951765-8-0 |chapter=Chapter 7}}</ref>

===Proposed ===
{{anchor | Proposed }}

{{anchor | Cherrapunji | Mawlynnong}}
* '''[[Mawlynnong–Cherrapunji line]]''', ~25 km link from [[Mawlynnong]] to [[Cherrapunji]] via scenic route through [[East Khasi Hills]] was proposed in 2023 for tourism was, but no formal study has been conducted as of 2025.<ref name="Mawlynnong-Cherra">{{cite journal |last=Lyngdoh |first=P. |title=Eco-Tourism Rail Projects in Meghalaya |journal=Indian Railway Technical Bulletin |volume=46 |issue=2 |date=June 2025 |issn=0019-5676}}</ref>

{{anchor | Mahendraganj | Nongstoin}}
* '''[[Nongstoin–Mahendraganj line]]''', ~25 km link from [[Nongstoin]] to [[Mahendraganj Assembly constituency|Mahendraganj]] in Mgahlaya on Bangladesh Border as potential [[Trans-Asian Railway]] (TAR) spur.<ref name="Nongstoin-Mahendraganj">{{cite web |title=India-Bangladesh Rail Connectivity Proposals |url=https://mea.gov.in/bangladesh_rail_links.htm |publisher=Ministry of External Affairs |date=2025 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[North Eastern Railway Connectivity Project]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
* [[North Eastern Railway Connectivity Project]]

[[Category:Rail transport in Assam]]
[[Category:Transport in Guwahati]]
[[Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India]]

Tetelia–Byrnihat line - Revision history

Tudu Hommie: Put Up Initial Entry First Draft