Railways to seek CCEA nod for doubling New Bongaigaon-Guwahati line: Goyal

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Saturday his ministry would soon approach the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for clearance of the doubling of the railway line from New Bongaigaon-Guwahati via Rangiya in Assam.

Addressing a review meeting of senior railway officials at Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) headquarters here on Saturday evening, Goyal said following inauguration of Bogibeel Bridge, all efforts should now be towards doubling of railway lines in the region for capacity enhancement. He asked the officials to prepare a plan of action within one week.

The minister spoke to state Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya for ensuring quick permission for soil procurement, which is presently hampering progress of project.

Goyal asked for Vistadome coaches in Lumding-Badarpur hill section and other tourist routes. He was apprised that Tetelia-Byrnihat new railway line, doubling of Lumding-Hojai section, Agartala-Sabroom new railway line and international line from Jogbani-Viratnagar would be ready very soon.

Before the review meeting with the senior officials, the minister went to Kamakhya temple. He promised to name one premium passenger train after Goddess Kamakhya as a mark of obeisance and respect.

While elaborating on the developmental initiatives of the railways for the northeastern region, he said timely completion of projects had "always been the topmost priority" of the present government and "the added thrust for this had resulted" in timely completion of Bogibeel project.

Goyal said the use of sound of honey bee for chasing away elephants from railway tracks was an example of rural innovation that can bring in real transformation.

NFR's Rangiya division had successfully installed a mechanism where sound of bee is amplified whenever elephants are spotted near a railway track to chase them away, thereby saving wild elephants from being hit by trains.

The minister said such mechanism would be considered for replication elsewhere in the country.