The Transport Minister of Tripura, Sushanta Chowdhury, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s HIRA model of connectivity for the significant extension of the Lokmanya Tilak (Mumbai)-Kamakhya (Guwahati) Weekly Express Rail service and now reaching Agartala.
Terming the announcement of the rail connectivity between the financial capital of the country with Agartala on the eve of Durga Puja as a historic moment for people of Tripura, Chowdhury shared details regarding stoppages in the extended rail route, ticket pricing and journey duration.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala on Saturday, the Transport Minister declared that the weekly train service would commence with departures from Agartala at 6 am every Thursday, and the return journey would see the train leaving Lokmanya Tilak station in Mumbai at 7.50 am every Sunday.
The extensive rail journey, spanning 3168 kilometers, will be completed in two days and 7 hours, equivalent to 55 hours, featuring stops at seven vital stations between Agartala and Guwahati. These stations include Ambassa, Dharmanagar, Badarpur, New Halflong, Lumding, Hojai, and Chaparmukh.
Minister Chowdhury also divulged the fare rates for this new service, stating that 1st AC tickets would be priced at Rs 8685, while 2nd and 3rd AC fares stand at Rs 4745 and Rs 3655, respectively.
In an expression of gratitude on behalf of the state government, the Transport Minister conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, for introducing this groundbreaking train service. He noted that Agartala currently boasts eleven express trains, and three railway stations in Tripura, namely Dharmanagar, Kumarghat, and Udaipur, are being developed under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme, with an allocated budget of Rs. 96.60 crore.
Minister Chowdhury also maintained that the Agartala-Akhaura rail service will soon commence, and the newly installed escalator at the Agartala railway station is on the cusp of inauguration.
This expansion of rail connectivity stands to benefit Tripura and other North East States as well as Bangladesh ushering in a new era of accessibility and convenience.