Lekhapani railway station explained

Lekhapani
Type:Indian Railways station
Style:Indian Railways
Address:Assam Trunk Road, Makum, District: Tinsukia, Assam
Country:India
Elevation:130m (430feet)
Line:Lumding–Dibrugarh section
Structure:Standard on ground
Opened:1890
Closed:1993
Owned:Indian Railways
Operator:Northeast Frontier Railway
Status:Defunct
Map Type:India Assam#India

Lekhapani is a railway station on the Lumding–Dibrugarh section. It is located in Tinsukia district in the Indian state of Assam.

History

Lekhapani railway station, opened around 1890, was a major coal-loading point for Tipong collieries. There is a display tablet at the station which says that the station was closed to commercial traffic in 1993 and the last train ran on the line in 1997. The railway station was restored in 2009.[1] [2]

Lekhapani used to be the easternmost railway station of Indian Railways. When gauge conversions took place around 1997, Ledo became the last and the easternmost station. The broad gauge continued up to Tirap for railway sidings. Beyond that the remnants of the -wide metre-gauge track to Lekhapani was visible (as of 2005).[3]

Stillwell Road

Lekhapani was the starting point of the Stillwell Road constructed by the Allied forces in 1942–45 through Burma to Kunming in China.[2]

New line surveys

Surveys are underway for 60NaN0-long line from Tirap to Lekhapani and 310NaN0-long line from Lekhapani to Kharsang in Arunachal Pradesh.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NF Rly to promote its heritage . The Assam Tribune, 28 August 2010 . 20 May 2013 .
  2. Web site: Railway's Last Frontier. 18 October 2009 . flickr. 20 May 2013 .
  3. Web site: Trivia. Easternmost station. IRFCA . 20 May 2013 .
  4. Web site: Railway's Surveys Underway. Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region . 20 May 2013 .