Govt launches 5,158-km rail lines in North-East

In a bid to build top-class rail network in the north-eastern states of the country, the Union government has recently launched over 40 railway projects covering 5,158 km-long tracks, Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain said, while flagging off the second service of Humsafar Express at Agartala jointly with Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb. A total of 43 railway projects are currently on in the region for which ₹90,000 crore had been allotted. On their completion, the targeted railway lines would be added. On development of railway services in the region, he claimed that Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Manipur are connected with the railways and work is currently underway in Mizoram and Nagaland. He also said that railways development work is in progress in Meghalaya since the Conrad Sagma government came to office. Work on the ₹3,451 crore 112-km broad-gauge line from Agartala to Sabroom in South Tripura district is in full swing and when commissioned Chittagong Port in Bangladesh would be only 90 km away from the nearest station.