Rajen Gohain: Centre to spend Rs 90,000 crore to add 5158-km tracks in northeast

Representational Picture/AFP

More than 40 railway projects are currently underway in the northeast region, which will add 5,158 km-long tracks on completion, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said on Tuesday.

Flagging off the second service of Humsafar Express at Agartala railway station jointly with Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is very keen to develop the northeastern states and working for it. A total 43 railway projects are currently on in the region for which Rs 90,000 crore had been allotted. On their completion, 5,158 km railway line would be added in the northeast, he said.

The train, which was flagged on January 5, plies between Agartala and Bangalore Cantonment once a week. With the introduction of the second service the train will be available twice a week now. Gohain said, "The Central government has also sanctioned a project for electrification of all lines." On development of railway services in the region, he said Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Manipur are connected with the railways and work is now underway in Mizoram and Nagaland. He also said the railways development work was in progress at Meghalaya since the Conrad Sagma government came to office.

The minister of state said work on the Rs 3,451 crore 112-km broad-gauge line from Agartala to Sabroom in South Tripura district is underway and when it gets commissioned, the Chittagong Port in Bangladesh would be only 90 km away from the nearest station.

Gohain said the Agartala-Akhaura rail link would connect India and Bangladesh via Gangasagar railway station near the international border in West Tripura district. "It is one of the most important projects going on," he said.

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