Tripura hopes introduction of superfast trains in upcoming Rail Budget

Jirania (Tripura) : .People of Tripura are waiting with great expectation, hoping the introduction of superfast trains from the capital Agartala and fund for Bangladesh project in upcoming Rail Budget

Most of people of landlocked Tripura, who either have to avail expensive air service or go though the lone hilly national highway 44 covering some 600 km in 24 hours to go to Guwahati to get rail service, expressed that in the upcoming Rail Budget 2016 they are very much hopeful that the Union Government will introduce various superfast train from capital Agartala.

"There is no end to our expectation and are very hopeful, since already broad gauge rail has reached here, we will get direct rail connectivity with our national capital, at least two direct trains every week to Kolkata, and if the proposed rail connectivity through Bangladesh happens that it will be great help. We the people of Tripura are very much hopeful that the union government and the rail board will fulfill our expectations," said Uttam Chakraborty, a local.

"As the passenger service (of broad gauge) starts we hope in the rail budget to get direct trains to every part of India. We are expecting that few super fast trains like Rajdhani are introduced from Agartala and runs twice or thrice a week. If the Union Government keeps this in the budget and that will help in the development of Tripura," said Pradip Debnath.

Tripurites also hopes that there should be mention of fund allocation for the proposed Agartala-Akhaura rail link between India and Bangladesh.

"Earlier it was metre gauge which has now been converted into broad gauge and so we are expecting that with this progress we shall be able to go everywhere in India directly from here. Be it for medical purpose or pleasure trip to visit any place we hope to have a rail connectivity... Moreover, there is also a proposal for rail connectivity through Bangladesh capital Dhaka," said Kamani Debbarma, a local.

Similar is the expectation of the authorities of the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) and hope that there shall be not dearth of fund for the ongoing and proposed rail projects in Tripura and introduction of new superfast trains from here.

CEO NFR S I Garur said, "Whatever our projects are going on adequate funds will be ensured and new projects will come up. New trains will be there definitely for Agartala will the commissioning of this project. New trains will be introduced from Agartala."

At present the conversion work of metre gauge to broad gauge work has been completed upto Agartala from Badarpur in Assam and successful trial run has been completed.

Ongoing railway work is on for connecting southern most city Subroom and Akhaura (in Bangladesh), both from Agartala.