AGARTALA, Feb 7 (TIWN) In its effort to provide better connectivity to bordering areas of the northeastern region, the central government has proposed railway lines to Tawang, Bamey and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and Dharmanagar-Kalashahar, Agartala-South in Tripura. During the last Railway Service inauguration, which was the 6th BG train given to Tripura for Udaipur-Agartala railway service, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu via video conference from New Delhi said, “Northeast State Tripura will not be deprived of any modern technology”. “Like other states Northeast State Tripura will be equally treated when it comes for service. We are next planning to increase train speed upto 100 KM per hour and NE trains will be equally felicitated with high speed”, said Prabhu. Then just after the allocation announcement of Rs. 1200 crores from Udaipur-South Railway lines, now all set to begin work for Kailashahar which will connect the state with rest of the country with Unakoti.

On that day Suresh Prabhu also said that Tripura Govt should utilize  the BG train in developing tourism chances.

“Tourism has been the key to business via train service. Now the railway has been connected till Udaipur, where Tripura Sundari temple is located and the state govt should take attempts to boost states tourism potentialities”, said Prabhu.

It’s worthy to mention here that not only in Tripura but works on railway network expansion is going on across NE all NE States. Recently, Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said this while addressing mediapersons  and added the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is going to undertake three surveys for laying railway tracks connecting Bhalukpong to Tawang, Silapathar-North Lakhimpur-Bamey and between Murkongselek-Rupai-Pasighat.

"While the survey for Murkongselek-Rupai-Pasighat line has already been started, the NFR is expecting to start the survey in the two other proposed lines," Gohain said adding the three proposed railway lines are expected to cost between Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 70,000 crore.
The Minister, while hailing the Union Budget 2017-18, said it has brought an unprecedented number of projects for the state of Assam and the northeast which include nine projects to provide connectivity to different locations in Assam at an estimated cost of Rs 13,364 crore.

"The major projects sanctioned for Assam include a broad gauge line from Sivsagar to Jorhat, Salona to Khumtai, Tezpur to Silghat, another rail-cum-road bridge on Brahmaputra river in Guwahati and four line elevated corridor between Kamakhya to Guwahati," he said.
"The total plan outlay for NFR has been increased to Rs 9,422 crore from Rs 7,620 crore in 2016-17 fiscal marking an increase of 24 per cent," he said.
Gohain also said the allocation for projects in Assam and other northeastern states was increased to Rs 5,586 crore compared to Rs 5,340 crore allotted in 2016-17.

The minister, however, expressed concern over the problem of insecurity in Manipur and said the security situation has affected the work of NFR in the state considerably.

"The insecurity in Manipur is a major setback for the railways. The work between Jiribam to Imphal has been affected due to the blockade in the past. Blockade affects work as everything including construction material has to be carried from this side," he said.

On January 24, mentioning further about various ongoing crisis in state Tripura, Suresh Prabhu pointed out, “During my last visit in Tripura in the month of July, the state was suffering from extreme diesel crisis. We immediately launched train service to diminish the crisis and now the state govt should utilize the train service to avoid any kind of such crisis”.

About his concern to expand the railway network Prabhu said, “I have a very keen relation with Northeast India and I will be keep on coming in Northeast. Northeast much be developed like other developed countries. It’s the wish of Modi Ji”.