PM Modi Flags Off Three New Trains
Shillong
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi , while flagging off the three New trains, said that it was Red Letter Day for not only the northeastern region but also for the entire country as the government is determined to bring full connectivity to all northeastern states by 2020.
He said, the Central Government has allocated approximately Rs. 6000 crores for all railway projects in the Northest in the current year. After bringing in Megalaya and Arunachal Pradesh to the broad gauge railway map of India in 2014,it was a major step to connect two more northeastern states with broad gauge railway as Mizoram and Manipur gets their first BG passenger train today, he said.
He said the Kamakhya – Katra Weekly Express train would fulfil a long-standing demand of the people of the country as this train would connect two very important sites of pilgrimage – Ma Kamakhya temple and Mata Vaishno Devi.
In three simultaneous functions organized at Kamakhya, Bhairabi and Jiribam state ministers, members of parliament, member of Assemblies and other dignitaries took part. At the function organized at Kamakhya railway station, Hon’ble Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma, Member of Rajya Sabha Shri Biswajit Daimari and Member of Lok Sabha Smt Bijoya Chakravorty
Passenger Train to Mizoram
Before construction of a broad gauge line, Bhairabi was the only metre gauge railhead of the State of Mizoram. After the completion of gauge conversion of Katakhal to Bhairabi (84 km), which was sanctioned in 1998-99, the project had been commissioned on 21 st March 2016 and commercial freight train had started running. Today, Mizoram has been brought into the broad gauge passenger railway map of India.
- The 55668 Bhairabi – Silchar Passenger train will leave Bhairabi at 05.45 hrs to reach Silchar at 09.15 hrs.
- On the return journey,the 55667 Slichar – Bhairabi Passenger will leave Silchar at 16.45 hrs to reach Bhairabi at 20.15 hrs. The train will have 10 stoppages.
Honourable Prime Minister had laid the foundation for another broad gauge new railway line from Bhairabi to Sairang on 29 th November 2014. The project has been declared a National Project. On completion of this railway line the states of Mizoram will have 53 kilometre of railway line inside
Passenger Train to Manipur
Before construction of a broad gauge line, Jiribam was the only metre gauge railhead of the State of Manipur. The metre gauge line from Arunachal near Silchar to Jiribam was constructed in 1989-90. After the gauge conversion of this line, which was sanctioned in 2000-01, the first freight train on the section was run on 20 th February this year. The line has been constructed with a speed potential of 100kmph.
- The 55665 Silchar – Jiribam Passenger train will leave Silchar at 08.45 hrs to reach Jiribam at 11.00 hrs.
- On the return journey, the 55666 Jiribam – Silchar Passenger train will leave Jiribam at 11.45 hrs to reach Silchar at 14.00 hrs.
- The train will have The railway line from Jiribam will be further extended to capital city of Imphal in Manipur with
construction of a new 110.62 km broad gauge line at an estimated cost of Rs. 9047 crore. The first 12.5 km of this line from Jiribam to Dholakhal has been completed and commissioned for freight train running. This new line project has been also declared a National Project. There is plan for extension of this line to Moreh near Myanmar border.
Express Train to Katra
The Kamakhya – Katra Weekly Express train was announced in 2014-15 Railway Budget with the aim of establishing connectivity between two very famous places of pilgrimage in India – the Kamakhya temple and Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The train being flagged off today will cover the 2605 kilometre distance between Kamakhya and Katra in almost 53 hours traversing through the states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu &
- The 15655 Kamakhya – Katra Express will leave from Kamakhya at 10.45 hrs on every Sunday to reach Katra at 16.00 hrs on Tuesday.
- On the return journey, the 15656 Katra – Kamakhya Express will leave Katra at 03.50 hrs on every Wednesday to reach Kamakhya 12.30 hrs on Friday.
- The train will have 2-Tier Airconditioned, 3-Tier Airconditioned, Sleeper Class and General Second Class accommodations. With the introduction of this train, a long-standing demand of the people of Northeast will be fulfilled.
