Silchar (Assam), March 16 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which is building rail infrastructure in the region, has targeted to connect all its eight state capitals by 2020, a senior official has said.
"We would connect all the state capitals of the eight northeastern states by railway link within 2020," NFR general manager (construction) Rakesh Kumar Singh told reporters here.
He said: "Mizoram capital Aizawl and Manipur capital Imphal would be connected by railway network by 2018 and 2019 respectively. The capitals of the remaining states would be linked by 2020 and the works are on to achieve the target."
Tripura's capital Agartala already connected by railway networks, even though line between Assam's Silchar-Agartala is meter gauge.
Agartala came up on the country's rail map in 2008. Currently, northeastern states have around 2,700 km railway line comprising meter gauge and broad gauge (BG) lines, officials said.
Singh, who was leading a 45-member NFR team, arrived in Silchar railway station from Guwahati on Sunday afternoon with the first nine-bogie railway trial inspection train, which left for Guwahati on Monday.
On Friday, the team said it successfully carried out trial run of a diesel engine from Lumding to Silchar on the newly-converted broad gauge (BG) line. The regular train service on the new BG line would be conducted from April after the clearance of Railway Safety Commissioner.
The total length of Lumding-Silchar BG line is 220 km and it consists of 17 tunnels (with longest one being 3.235 km long), 79 major bridges, 340 minor bridges, 28 railway stations and four halt stations.
The NFR general manager (construction) said now the Silchar-Agartala railway track would be converted from meter gauge to BG by March next year.
The foundation of the much-delayed gauge conversion project -- Lumding to Silchar and Silchar to Agartala -- was laid by the then prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda in Silchar in 1996.
In 2004, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh declared the project a national one.
The railways faced severe criticism for the delay in completing the Rs.5,185-crore project that is considered to be a lifeline for southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, during his budget speech in the parliament on February 26, said the Indian Railways was committed to provide rail connectivity to all the northeastern states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Nov 29, 2014 flagged off a train between Meghalaya's Mendipathar and Guwahati, a distance of 131 km, and laid the foundation stone for a 51.38 km-long new broad gauge railway line between Bhairabi and Sairang in Mizoram.
On February 20, Modi flag off the first weekly air-conditioned express train service between Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar.
Bigg Boss 19 has always been more than just a reality show. It's a test of patience, loyalty, and
Fukrey 3 Song Fukrey Ve Release: The comedy-drama film Fukrey franchise has been entertaining the
Inter-faith prayer meeting condemns nun's gang rape
New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) An inter-faith prayer meeting was held in the national capital on Th
Team India's star wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan is celebrating his 25th birthday today. Isha
Big news has come to the fore amid the ever-increasing cases of coronavirus. The Japanese Embassy
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reached Parliament in a wheelchair to participate in the dis
Today is the last day of the auction of gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This auct
Yogi government may announce to give tablets to students, preparing to fulfill an election promise
Lucknow: This time the Yogi government can open the box for the youth in the budget. The Yogi gov
On the back of Virat Kohli's brilliant batting, Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Punjab Kings
Russia leaves Saudi Arabia behind in oil issue, Arab countries' crisis deepens
In March this year, there was a dispute in Saudi Arabia and Russia about the price of oil. Saudi
