Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday got its first Shatabdi Express with Union Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu flagging off the train service between Naharlagun (in Arunachal Pradesh) and Guwahati in Assam.
Prabhu along with Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu flagged off the new Shatabdi Express (No. 12088/12087) between Naharlagun and Guwahati through electronically through video-link from the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) headquarters at Maligaon, in Guwahati. Khandu and others dignitaries were present at the Naharlagun railway station on Arunachal Pradesh during the flagging off ceremony
Prabhu also laid the foundation of the construction of a 26-km-long new broad gauge railway line from Murkongselek in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and announced commencement of surveys for seven new broad gauge railway lines in Arunachal Pradesh by remote through video link from the NFR headquarters here.
The newly flagged off Shatabdi Express train will provide a speedier and comfortable connectivity between the state capital cities of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. This superfast fully air-conditioned train will cover the distance in six hours.
It will start from Naharlagun at 05-00 am to arrive Guwahati at 11-00 am every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
From Guwahati it will leave at 03-20 pm to arrive Naharlagun at 09-20 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Flagging off the new train, the Railway Minister said that Indian Railways has accelerated its developmental work and in the last three years alone had invested close to Rs. 3.5 lakh crore for various projects in the country for capacity enhancement. He also said that currently projects worth about RS. 90,000 crore are being executed in the northeast region.
“Indian Railway is committed for not only providing better connectivity but also better passenger experience,” he said while informing that Railways will launch a new Application for mobile platform to address passenger grievances very soon.
Calling the occasion as historic for Arunachal, chief minister Pema Khandu said the railway connectivity would open new vistas for economic development in the state.
He hoped that the connectivity would boost tourism, increase agriculture and horticulture activities, and support other developmental activities such as hydropower, etc.
Khandu hoped that once the surveys were completed and the seven railway lines would become functional soon, all foothill places of the state would be interconnected.
Commencement of surveys announced today include Lekhapani-Kharsang (25 km), Itakhola-Seijosa (18 km), Doodooma to Wakro via Simaluguri, Namsai, Chowkham (96km), Dangri-Roing (60 km), Naharkatia-Deomali (20 km), Lehkapani-Napnong-New Khamlang-Deben (75 km), Tinsukia (Assam) to Pasighat (300 km). Total length to be covered under the survey is 594 km.
These surveys are in addition to the surveys already announced for strategic lines connecting Tawang, Aalo and Parasuramkund, and are targeted for completion by December 2018.