Over poor rail connectivity in NE Assam MP written letter to Center

GUWAHATI: Rajya Sabha MP from Assam Ajit Kumar Bhuyan has written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asking him to take steps to improve rail connectivity in parts of the Northeast, particularly the Barak valley in southern Assam and neighboring Mizoram.

In the letter, Bhuyan drew the attention of the Union Ministry of Railways to the poor railway connectivity in Barak Valley as well as Mizoram and the immense hardship faced by people traveling to Arunachal Pradesh over the years.
He urged the Union Minister to extend the service of Rajdhani Express to Silchar so that the people of South Assam face the difficulties faced by the rail connectivity from time to time.
Regarding the long-standing demand of Barak Valley people to extend the Rajdhani Express to Silchar, the MP wrote, “Such a service will benefit the people of Barak Valley in western Manipur, Mizoram, and South Assam. Will play a significant role in the overall development of the region.”
“It is understood that Rajdhani Express trains usually ply between the national capital and state capitals, but in the case of Assam, there are reportedly two Rajdhani Express trains going to Dibrugarh. I would suggest one of them. be diverted to Silchar or alternatively a new Rajdhani Express train to Imphal (Manipur) should be started in advance to reduce the suffering of passengers, Bhuyan said.
The MP further pointed out that a few years ago, as the Governor of Manipur, Najma Heptulla had written a letter to the then Union Railway Minister Piyush Goel in this regard.
“At present, one train per day, namely the Donyi Polo Express, runs between Naharlagoon in Arunachal Pradesh and Shokhuvi in ​​Nagaland via Lumding in Assam. However, passengers from South Assam and Mizoram will be diverted to Lumding (which is over 200 km from Silchar). (is) to board the train,” Bhuyan wrote in a letter to the Union Railway Minister.
“In view of this, I would request you to kindly consider diverting the Donyi Polo Express to Silchar via Lumding four days a week while for the remaining three days of the week, it may run to Shukhovi in ​​Nagaland. ,” They said.