March 28, 2024

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Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Lumding, NF Railway Press Conference.

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Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Lumding, NF Railway Press Conference at Agartala Railway Station, Badharghat on Tuesday (11th October, 2022).

The Indian Railways has been continuously taking proactive steps for enhancing railway connectivity and providing state of the art railway services to the people of the landlocked state of Tripura, who are heavily dependent on the Railways for their transportation needs. In the last few years, the Railways has focused on improving track and station infrastructure in Tripura, providing additional passenger train services, improving the movement of goods in the region as well as providing value added services in the stations and trains.

Additional Train Services to Guwahati and Kolkata

Keeping in line with this trend, and to satisfy the persistent demands from the people of Tripura for additional train services to Guwahati and Kolkata, the Railways is pleased to announce the extension of the train number 02518/02517 to Agartala. This train, which earlier used to run between Kolkata and Guwahati, will now operate between Agartala to Kolkata via Guwahati, thereby providing the people of Tripura not only with an additional train service to Kolkata, as but also intercity travel facilities between Agartala and Guwahati. Passengers travelling to Agartala from Guwahati can board this train in the evening, and reach Agartala in the morning hours.

One Station One Product:

N.F. Railway is introducing modular stalls at several stations of Tripura under the ‘One Station One Product’ Scheme, to showcase the indigenous products of Tripura. Already, two numbers of stalls have been installed at Agartala, where indigenous products of Tripura like handlooms, cane and bamboo furniture are being showcased. Modular stalls are soon going to be installed at other stations including Udaipur, Belonia, Sabroom, Ambassa, Kumarghat and Dharmanagar. The artisans and weavers of Tripura are requested to make maximum utilization of this scheme.

E-Auction Scheme:

N. F. Railway has already implemented e-auction scheme of commercial assets at all the stations located in Tripura, such as Parking, Pay and Use toilets, Advertising etc. The process of participating in e-Auctions has been greatly simplified, and entry barriers have been completely removed, enabling all the local entrepreneurs and businessmen of Tripura to participate in these auctions, and improving livelihood opportunities which can be utilized by local residents / hawkers etc.

Facilities for freight transport and Logistics

The Railways has also been making continuous efforts to improve the freight transport and logistics facilities in the railway goods sheds and sidings of Tripura. Works for additional goods terminals at Sekerkote and Agartala have already been shortlisted, and proposal for one additional goods line at Agartala is also being processed.

Further, the railways has been persistently co-ordinating with the traders of the region for boosting trade by providing parcel train facilities for the transport of rubber, timber, pineapples, jackfruits and other indigenous products of the region.

The work of international connectivity with Bangladesh through the Agartala – Akhaura project is also going on, and expected to be completed in the next 4 – 5 months

Shatabdi Express Services

The Railways has also been focusing on providing Shatabdi Express services in Tripura for speedy intercity day travel. The first ever Jan Shatabdi Express train connecting Jiribam in Manipur to Agartala in Tripura was started recently, which connected some important and historic towns like Badarpur, New Karimganj, Dharmanagar and Ambassa apart from Jiribam and Agartala, and was also the first direct train service connecting the two NE states of Tripura and Manipur.

Now, this train is getting extended by about 55 km upto Khongsang in Manipur, in the newly constructed Jiribam – Imphal new line project, which is a marvel of engineering. The train will cover a distance of 300 kms in about 6 hours, which will greatly reduce travel time to Khongsang. Apart from this, the Jan Shatabdi Express is being provided with a new LHB rake with the latest amenities for passengers. Further, a Vistadome coach has also been added in this train, which will boost tourism in the region, where the passengers can enjoy the natural beauty of the scenic route between Agartala to Khongsang that passes through mesmerizing hills and valleys and pristine streams and rivers.

Double Line, Additional Line and Electrification

To meet the demand of the people of Tripura for improved railway infrastructure in the state, survey for a second line between Lumding Badarpur via Lanka – Chandranathpur has been sanctioned by Railway Board, and will be completed by March 2023. Further, work on Electrification of the Lumding – Agartala section is going on, and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Further, survey has been completed for new line between Dharmanagar to Pencharthal up to Belonia via Kamalpur – Khowai – Agartala of a total 178.72 kms.

World Class Station at Agartala

It has been decided to construct world class station at Agartala with modern state of the art facilities. Survey work for the same is going on.

Value added facilities at stations

Escalators:

The Railways is continuously improving the facilities at the Railway stations for improving passenger experience for the people of Tripura. At Agartala, work for construction of two numbers of escalators is going on, and is going to be completed by November 2022. Further, two numbers of escalators have also been sanctioned at Dharmanagar Railway Station, and work has been started.

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