Agartala-Mumbai rail services flagged off, Rail Minister talks about starting Vande Bharat in Tripura
Vande Bharat services will start from Agartala rail station after the electrification of railway line in Tripura gets completed. The electrification is likely to be completed next year, said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishav in his virtual address during the flagging off Kamakhya-Lokmanya Tilak Express train service from Agartala on Thursday.
With the extension of the rail services, rail link between Agartala and Mumbai has been established.
Ashwini along with Tripura's Chief Minister Professor (Dr) Manik Saha flagged off the express train in presence of Union Minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhowmik, Tripura's Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, and MLA Meenarani Sarkar.
Notably, the day also witnessed the inauguration of an additional demo train service between Agartala and Sabrum, along with the introduction of escalators at the Agartala railway station.
The event took place at the Agartala railway station and was graced by the presence of Chief Minister Professor (Dr) Manik Saha, along with
During the video conference, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishab emphasized the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the development of the North Eastern states.
Prime Minister Modi has visited the region approximately 60 times in the past 9 years, showcasing a genuine dedication to accelerating development in the North East. Union Minister of Railways announced a substantial budget allocation of 10,270 crore rupees for the rapid enhancement of the railway communication system in the North Eastern region.
Tripura, which previously had only four pairs of running trains, now boasts 17 pairs of trains in operation. A plan has been put in motion to transform 60 stations in the North East into world-class facilities, with work already underway at 37 of these stations.
Chief Minister Professor (Dr) Manik Saha expressed the long-standing demand of the people of Tripura to extend the Kamakhya-Lokmanya Tilak Express train service to Agartala.
In response, the service has been expanded, and an additional demo train service connecting Agartala and Sabum has been launched.
The Kamakhya-Lokmanya Tilak Express train takes approximately 55 hours to journey from Agartala to Mumbai, departing from Agartala every Thursday at 6 am and reaching Mumbai on Saturday afternoon. The return trip from Mumbai commences on Sunday morning at 7:30 am, arriving in Agartala on Tuesday evening.
Furthermore, Dr Saha highlighted ongoing projects, including the development of Udaipur, Dharmanagar, and Kumarghat railway stations.
He also pointed out the submission of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the upgrade of Agartala railway station to international standards, with a proposed budget of Rs. 235.45 crore. Work on the Agartala-Akhaura railway, which will connect Kolkata via Dhaka, is progressing swiftly.
The Chief Minister made an appeal for the extension of services like Tripureshwari Express and Kanchenjunga Express to Udaipur, along with the extension of the Lokmanya Tilak-Kamakhya train to the North Eastern region, which would bring benefits to people in Bangladesh in various aspects, including medical, educational, and business opportunities.