Modi Govt set to connect all North East States through broad-gauge Rail

 

The Bjp government is committed to connecting all north eastern states through broad-gauge rail lines, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

Broad-gauge (BG) tracks totalling 8.5 lakh km will also be laid across the country, he said.

“Connectivity in the north east is the priority of the Centre and efforts are underway for the electrification of all the BG lines in the region in the next five years,” Prabhu said after flagging off a train and laying the foundation of a project through video conferencing from the NFR headquarters at Maligaon in Guwahati.

The minister said that railway projects worth Rs 90,000 crore have been undertaken for all the states in the region since NDA came to power in 2014.

“The railway ministry introduced 26 new trains for the north east during 2016-17,” he said.

Earlier, he flagged off the Naharlagun-Guwahati Shatabdi Express and laid the foundation of the Murkongselek-Pasighat broad gauge line in Arunachal Pradesh.

He also announced commencement of surveys for seven new lines in the state.

The lines are Lekhapani-Kharsang (25 km), Itakhola- Seijosa (18 km), Doomdooma-Namsai-Wakro (96 km), Dangri-Roing (60 km), Deomali-Naharkatia (20 km), Lekhapani-Miao-Deban (75 km) and Tinsukia-Pasighat via Simaluguri and Kanubari (300 km).