Agartala, October 5 (TIWN): Transport Minister Manik Dey today trained guns on the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) authorities and said that the decision to disregard repeated requests from the state government for approving special trains during Durga Puja.

Speaking to reporters at his official quarters in Agartala here this evening, the minister said that the government had to use special buses in Agartala-Dharmanagar, Agartala-Kailashahar and Agartala-Kanchanpur routes during the Puja days with special permits. Few buses were hired from Assam to bridge the communication crisis as well, he said.

Speaking about the current situation on train service in the Agartala-Karimganj route, Dey said that the decision to withdraw four pairs of trains in the Agartala-Lumding route and introduce one pair of train between Agartala and Kumarghat in the meantime was a direct act of insult.

“Chief Minister Manik Sarkar requested the NFR authorities to take up gauge conversion till Karimganj at the least. They don’t have the barest courtesy of acknowledging receipt of his letters”, Dey said adding that the NFR officials informed transport secretary through a text message on his cell phone about inability to comply with the request.

He added that the decision to withdraw the passenger trains in the route were acts of disrespect depriving and insulting for the state and its people.

Transport Minister Dey today further urged to start Broad Gauge (BG) conversion in Agartala-Lumding segment at one-go instead of the current two phase model.