Staff reporter
Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and MP Gaurav Gogoi, for betterment of rail connectivity in Assam and the Northeast, has written a detailed letter to Chairman of the Railway Board, Satish Kumar, highlighting 22 key demands related to railway development in the region.
Gogoi expressed concern over the lack of progress on previously submitted proposals and urged swift and concrete action to bridge the region’s connectivity gap. The letter underscores critical issues and infrastructure gaps, including the need for station upgrades, train service extensions, and improved safety measures. Among the key demands are construction of a level crossing and re-establishment of Longpotia Railway Station in Charaideo district, restoration of all pre-COVID train stoppages and new halts as proposed by Northeast Frontier Railway, extension of the Guwahati-New Bongaigaon Passenger to Fakiragram, linking Kokrajhar directly with Guwahati, daily service conversion of New Tinsukia-Rangapara-Dhubri Express, development of Dibrugarh Town Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme with an integrated building and new platforms, immediate land compensation for the Kulajan-Kareng Ghat project in Dhemaji and development of Dhamalgaon Junction with a loco maintenance unit, new Vande Bharat Express routes between Guwahati-Dibrugarh (via Jorhat) and Guwahati-Silchar, a railway coach manufacturing unit in Assam to boost employment and industrial growth, installation of wildlife-protection rope bridges in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary to mitigate the impact of electrification. He also called for enhanced safety by eliminating unmanned crossings, adding Foot Over Bridges (FOB) ramps, and constructing new subways and level crossings in sensitive areas like Jorhat and Rajbari.
Additionally, Gogoi sought more express/mail train stoppages in Kokrajhar, including for the Saraighat and Secunderabad Express, and halt station reactivations in Dimow, Dipa, and Doomdooma. Calling the demands “long overdue,” Gogoi emphasized that their implementation would significantly enhance connectivity, reduce regional imbalance, and integrate the Northeast more effectively into the national rail network.
Also Read: Review list of beneficiaries of aid to dairy farms, Gaurav Gogoi urges PM Modi
Also Watch: