AGARTALA / SILCHAR, Jan 13 (TIWN): Landlocked Tripura, being part of North East India has always remained backward in many aspects among which rail connectivity was the worst. Tripura ruled by CPI-M since 23 years though Manik Sarkar led communist govt failed to bring faster developments on par with the other states in this region. However, BJP Govt’s special focus on NE India is turning beneficial for Tripura as broad gauge rail line beginning its maiden journey on wednesday. Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha arrived Agartala to inaugurate the BG line from Agartala to Badapur. Accompanied by Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) general manager H.K. Jaggi and other officials of the ministry and IRCON (Indian Railway Construction Company), Sinha arrived Tripura on Tuesday on a two-day visit to the northeastern state to supervise ongoing railway projects. It is to be noted that Modi led BJP govt. taken up vital infrastructure development for North Eastern states to boost regional economy and overall developments. One after another Union Ministers & Secretaries are arriving in Tripuraand taking stocks of the ongoing project works. From RD Dept. to Education to surface transport, special focus of Modi’s Union Ministers has been observed since 2014. Although BJP is politically weak in Tripura and North East, but Modi govt. has taken up NE development as a challenge to resolve long pending issues like insurgency, lack of economic developments.Modi led BJP govt’s focus on NE is a sharp contrast with CPI-M backed Congress rule during UPA I & II regimes as Congress led Centre failed to propel infrastructure development in Tripura and NE region.

“Once completed, the Agartala-Akhaura railway project would provide a major boost to development and economy of the northeastern region of India and eastern Bangladesh. The project would boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East' policy” , added by Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha.

In the last week or Dec 2015, DoNER Minister Jitedra Singh also mentioned that  till date no Congress led Govt has taken initiatives to boost infrastructures in NE region. 

On Tuesday, the newly elected State BJP President  Biplab Deb welcomed Union Railway Minister Manoj Sinha. Also Tripura’s high officials accompanied Sinha and Union Minister met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar at State Secretariat.

Manoj Sinha is the current Minister of state for Railways and the member of 16th Lok Sabha , the lower house in the Indian Parliament representing Ghazipur Lok sabha constituency. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

After arriving in Tripura, Sinha attended a programme at Rabindra Bhawan and then he visited the Indo-Bangla Rail link connecting point at Akhaura border. On Wednesday the BG rail service will be inaugurated.

However, Tripura has already witnessed a historical moment on Monday when BG (broad gauge) Railway engine entered for the first time in Agartala. The long wait of northeastern state of Tripura to have direct broad-gauge railconnectivity with rest of India might fulfilled by March this year, promises NFR chief Engineer H.K.Jaggi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the Rs.575-crore Agartala-Akhaura Indo-Bangla railway project with Hasina during his visit to Dhaka in June last year.