AGARTALA, August 8 (TIWN): To manage the pressure of about 10,000 vehicles on NH 44 during train-suspension period from October 2014 to another at least two years, Assam demanded additional fund for up-gradation of 130 kilometre stretches of highway from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, officials said here today. However, Tripura also supported the demand supplementing another argument if broad gauge conversion is made first in feeder portions - goods train even passenger fleets can also reach Badarpur to cater Mizoram, Manipur and Southern Assam by roads and in case of Tripura, trains could reach at least up to Dharmanagar that would able to reduce the pressure on National Highway.

"It is believed if Badarpur-Lumding mega block gauge conversion begins first, entire southern part of northeast will be cut off in rail network and pressure on NH 44 will be more and it is indicated that the completion of whole work will take at least two years," said Tripura Chief Secretary G K Rao. On the other, transshipment of 5000 MT rice from Ashuganj sea port of Agartala FCI warehouses had began fromThursday. And so far, about 100 MT rice has reached by Bangladeshi trucks in Tripura warehouse.

Transportation of whole consignment of will take at least another two weeks. Meantime, another consignment of 5000 MT rice has already started from Kakinada port of Andhra Pradesh via Diamond Harbor of West Bengal to Ashuganj port for Agartala.

Tripura is in need of average 30,000 MT rice per month and with the induction of 10,000 MT, the rice stock will reach to about 97,000 MT and additional regular rice load will add every day.