Four new trains announced for Assam along with other major initiatives

Hon’ble Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain announced a number of initiatives on Sunday, that has been taken in NE India and Assam, which will provide better connectivity, facilities and integrate the railways with the development process of the Govt. of Assam and Govt of India.  Addressing a press conference at the Headquarters of N. F. Railway, the Minister said, doubling of Railways Track has been a critical bottleneck in Assam and the process of doubling of railway line will start from 12th September when Sarbananda Sonowal and Rajen Gohain will lay the foundation stone for the doubling project at Hojai. Work on the other sections such as Bongaigaon to Guwahati via Goalpara will also start within this month, he said. Final Location Survery (FLS) is going on for the doubling of the railway line from Bongaigaon to Agyathuri via Rangia and once this is finished, doubling on this section will also start.   Upgradation of Guwahati and Agyathuri railway stations to world class stations on Public Private Participation (PPP) mode is under process. Also, the Guwahati station will be upgraded and an executive lounge will be constructed very soon, Shri Gohain said adding that several other stations such as Lumding and Tinsukia will also be upgraded soon. A new retiring rooms policy has already started that will ensure better use of retiring rooms on an hourly basis to all confirmed passengers.   Gohain said that survey includes a Second Rail Bridge at Saraight near Guwahati, construction of new Railway Line from Salona to Khumtai, from Sibsagar to Jorhat and from Tezpur to Silghat. He also said that Rs.7,000 crore has been allocated to Northeast India for Railway Project this year. On electrification projects, the Minister said that he had taken personal initiative to expedite the railway track electrification from New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati and the tender process for the project will be finalized soon. The Railway’s is also considering setting up of a bottled drinking water plant under the RailNeer brand at Jagiroad in Assam for which land is being surveyed for exact location.   The Minister for Railways announced that a new insurance scheme by which all confirmed and RAC rail passengers will get travel insurance of upto Rs 10 lakhs has been already been started for which a premium of only 92 paisa will be charged. He further said that, freight movements in this region of the country have been hampered due to siding and terminal bottlenecks. A new policy has been started where private parties can now have their own sidings and terminals for freight movements.   Gohain said that his aim would be to increase connectivity where railways can be an engine for development. Several new trains have been approved and will start very soon. These include two full Satabdi trains from Tinsukia to Guwahati and from Naharlagun to Guwahati. A fully AC 3-tier train called Hamsafar will also start from Guwahati to Bangalore via Kolkata.    Gohain also announced Indian Railway’s plan of developing a tourist circuit in Northeast with the support all state governments in the region and run a high-end North East Safari Train to promote tourism and employment.    The Minister appealed for support of the people of the region, especially of Assam and well wishers of North East India, so that the region can be developed and propelled to a higher level.