Guwahati, March 18: BJP MP from Assam Dilip Saikia has requested the Union railway ministry to rename two long-distance train routes – Guwahati-Delhi and Guwahati-Chennai – after revered Vaishnavite saints, Srimanta Sankardev and Srimanta Madhabdev, respectively.
Participating in a discussion in Parliament on the “Demands for Grants – Railway Budget 2025-26”, Saikia, who represents Darrang-Udalguri constituency, also expressed concern over the lack of railway connectivity in Darrang district.
Notably, the MP had earlier raised the issue through personal meetings, parliamentary discussions, and letters to the railway minister. He urged the central government to take immediate action on the matter.
He also demanded revival of the halting points of several trains at various railway stations in his constituency, including Khoirabari, Dekargaon, Goreswar, Majbat, Tangla and Udalguri railway stations, that were withdrawn during the COVID-19 pandemic along with some other stations across Northeast and the country.
“Revival of these halting points will help commuters from remote rural areas travel conveniently and safely to their destinations,” Saikia stated.
The MP further urged the railway ministry to operate a Vande Bharat Express train between Dibrugarh and Guwahati via Rangia and Udalguri, besides a direct train from Guwahati to Jagdalpur (Odisha), which will help over 45 lakh people of Odisha-origin living in Assam to commute easily between Guwahati and Odisha.
He also expressed gratitude to the Union finance minister and railways minister for the gross budgetary allocation of Rs 10,440 crore for railway infrastructure projects in the Northeast.