Centre committed to expand broad gauge network in North East: Suresh Prabhu

Since 2014, railway projects worth Rs 9,000 cr have been undertaken in the region

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

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).

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the new lines would give a fillip to the industrial corridor in the Arunachal Pradesh.

Stating that the first inroads of railways in the state began in 2015 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Naharlagun-New Delhi Express train, he said the state had earlier been neglected in this sector.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the agri-horti sectors in the state would get a major boost through railway connectivity.

Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain promised that the survey work of the seven BG lines will be completed by December next year.

The minister also added that the Murkongselek-Pasighat BG line would be completed by 2018.