Gogoi urges Prabhu for better rail connectivity

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, April 13: Union Minister for Railway Suresh Prabhu today suggested that the Assam government can tie up with Indian Railway to form a Joint Venture Company for development of railway stations and tourist circuits, including the Lumding-Badarpur section, in the State.

Prabhu, who was here to participate in the 60th tiol Level Railway Week Award Function-2015, met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his official residence today.

During the meeting, Prabhu said that the Railways will come up with a world class termil at North bank of Guwahati through PPP mode.

Chief Minister Gogoi requested the Railway minister to increase the speeds of long distance trains from Assam and to improve the facilities in these trains. The Railway minister promised that his ministry will work upon this request at the earliest.

Gogoi urged Prabhu to modernise Guwahati railway station and to upgrade Kamakhya railway station so as to cater to the growing rush of passengers and pilgrims. Prabhu assured Gogoi that he will initiate necessary measures for modernising and upgrading both the stations.

Chief Minister Gogoi also requested the Railway minister for a separate zone for the North East Frontier Railways to eble candidates from the region to stand a fair chance in getting recruited for railway posts.

The CM further urged Prabhu to expedite the construction of Bogibeel bridge and for a parallel rail bridge near the existing Saraighat rail bridge owing to increase in the volume of goods traffic.

The Chief Minister submitted a memorandum to the Railway minister enlisting various demands.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Chief Secretary Jitesh Khosla, Additiol Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, MGVK Bhanu and General Mager of NF Railway Ranjit Singh Virdi.

Earlier, the Railway tiol Week Award function for outstanding services of railway employees was held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) auditorium in Guwahati today. The programme was held for the first time in the Northeast.