ARPA urges Chief Minister for comprehensive rail meet on intra-State connectivity

A CORRESPONDENT

NALBARI: The Assam Rail Passengers Association (ARPA) has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam seeking the organization of a comprehensive “Rail Meet” to discuss the strengthening of intra-state railway connectivity across Assam.

In the letter addressed to the Chief Minister, ARPA general secretary Dipankar Sharma highlighted the long-standing difficulties faced by the people of Assam due to inadequate rail connectivity between different regions of the state. The association stated that although Assam is connected to several parts of the country through railways, local passengers often face inconvenience while travelling within the state.

The memorandum pointed out that passengers sometimes find it easier to travel from Bihar or other distant states to Guwahati or Dibrugarh than to commute conveniently between districts within Assam, such as from Dibrugarh to Tezpur, Tinsukia to Dhubri, or Upper Assam to Lower Assam.

The association further emphasized that the lack of adequate inter-district passenger trains, convenient schedules, regional commuter services, and integrated railway planning has led to several problems, including excessive travel time, dependence on expensive road transport, hardship for students and office-goers, and reduced socio-economic integration among districts.

ARPA proposed that the Rail Meet should include officials from the Northeast Frontier Railway, representatives of rail passenger associations, public representatives from various districts, trade bodies, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and transport experts. The association also suggested several measures to improve Assam’s railway network, including the introduction of MEMU/DEMU and local passenger trains connecting districts, faster daytime intercity services, development of strategic passenger terminals, better synchronization of train timings, and enhanced connectivity between Upper Assam, Central Assam, Barak Valley, and Lower Assam.

Stating that railways remain one of the most affordable and environmentally sustainable modes of transport in the geographically elongated state, the association urged the government to take proactive steps to develop a modern and efficient intra-state railway network to boost economic growth, tourism, employment, and social integration across Assam.

Also Read: Assam Rail Passengers Association (ARPA) seeks comprehensive ‘rail meet’  to improve intra-state connectivity