STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Rail Passengers Association (ARPA) has announced a statewide memorandum submission programme on October 11, seeking major improvements in railway infrastructure and passenger services in Assam.
The campaign will urge the Railway Ministry, the Assam government and the Central government to address a range of longstanding demands concerning railway connectivity, passenger amenities and expansion of services in the state.
Among its key demands, ARPA has called for the creation of a separate Northeast railway zone for the Northeastern states on the lines of the North Eastern Council (NEC) and the establishment of a new railway division at Badarpur.
The association has also demanded Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)/Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) local passenger services on all electrified sections, with an immediate passenger train service on the Bilasipara section. It has sought early commencement of the proposed Jorhat-Sivasagar, Salona-Khumtai and Tezpur-Silghat railway lines, along with construction of a new Saraighat railway bridge to facilitate direct rail connectivity between Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
ARPA has further demanded restoration of all pre-COVID railway facilities, including senior citizen fare concessions, discontinued trains and cancelled stoppages.
Other major demands include restoration of the practice of presenting a separate Railway Budget, and extension of several existing services. These include extending the Brahmaputra Express (15657) to Dibrugarh, the New Bongaigaon Passenger (55810) to Fakiragram, the Ledo-Guwahati train (15604) to Gauripur and the New Jalpaiguri-Bongaigaon train (15703) to Rangiya or Dekargaon.
The association has also sought improved passenger amenities at railway stations, including ramps, lifts, escalators, drinking water facilities, ATVMs and better approach roads, as well as foot overbridges accessible from both sides through ramps.
ARPA has demanded that the Dhubri-Silghat Rajyarani Express (15417), Guwahati-North Lakhimpur Jan Shatabdi (12047) and Silchar-New Tinsukia Barak-Brahmaputra Express (15641) be converted into daily services.
It has also proposed naming some trains after Assam's literary and cultural icons and symbols, with names such as Sudhakantha, Mayabini, Agnigarh, Mahamaya, Bohagee, Sharodi and Subansiri. The association has called for the introduction of suburban railway services in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Silchar. It has also proposed passenger terminals at Dangari, Dhamalgaon, Sarbhog, Gauripur and Agyathuri to facilitate the operation of additional trains.
Another demand is that all proposals already approved by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) be expedited for final approval by the Railway Board.
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