AGARTALA, March 23 (TIWN): Union Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu stated that connectivity to all capitals of North Eastern States by 2020 is one of the topmost priorities of the present Government and urged all the railway officials to put in their best efforts. Stating that the Centre will ensure adequate fund availability for the North Eastern projects he also announced that a passenger train to Agartala will be started within this Financial Year. Passenger train from Agartala may run from 30th March onwards according to NFR Official.

PM Narendra Modi’s “Look east” policy has made it successful to pave the way of the BG Railway service to Agartala Railway station after years of waiting.

Paving the way to create a history for the landlocked Tripura, North Eastern Frontier Railway Guwahati has organised an inaugural program for the welcoming ceremony of the first ever trial train to Agartala Railway station earlier. Since it was a trial run so the engine was drove in slow speed.

There was no such problem while driving the rail on the newly converted BG track and happiness marked the journey as lot of crowd gathered everywhere to get a glimpse of the engine, as stated by the Railway authority. Trains first reached Tripura in 1964 when the railway hit the North Tripura town of Dharmanagar.

Later it was extended further to Kumarghat. But then it took 40 years to get the railhead to Agartala. Long sustained tribal insurgency in the state has a lot to do with it. However, the connectivity and transportation in the Tripura got a boost with the special focus to the NE region from Modi’s ‘Look East” policy.  

2016 has created a history for Tripura. The broad gauge will help boost our economy and overall development and after years of political mind game the people of Tripura have got their first BG train in the state.
Reportedly, The British took just eight years to lay the metre gauge. But due to politics and lacklustre attitude of Manik ruled state government, it took years to change the metre gauge into Broad-gauge. It is only because of the focus of the central government that today Tripura has made its entry to the railway map of the nation. 

It’s a moment of victory for the people of the state.

Due to the government's lacklustre attitude and the failure of elected representatives, it took years to witness the BG railways service to the state. 

All these sped up work is only due to the good initiatives of the central government.  After a long period finally the laying and constructing of Broad Gauge (BG) Railway tracks of Mega Block conversion from Badarpur to Agartala has already been completed. Adding another milestone in the history of Tripura, the land-locked state has finally made its entry in the BG Railway map of the country.