Uncertainty over Dibru-Sadiya Railways

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: An uncertainty looms large over the restoration of historic Dibru-Sadiya Railways (DSR) that was commissioned in 1883 from Dibrugarh to Makum and extended further to Saikhowa Ghat in 1910.

The DSR was one of the pioneering Railway companies in British India. In 1881, the Assam Railways & Trading Company (AR&TC) set up the meter-gauge track under the supervision of Dr John Berry White and Benzamin Piercy with Makum being the first railway junction in Assam opened in 1884. Though the Tinsukia Railway Division under NFR maintained skeleton services in the Makum-Dangori section till March 2020, the Division withdrew running of all trains allegedly on one pretext or another.

The 86-mile route was opened in stages primarily to transport tea and coal, the first section of the line opened in 1882 from Dibrugarh River Streamer Ghat near Dibrugarh and extended to Makum in 1883 expanded further to Talap in 1885 constituting the Makum branch comprising Ledu-Titak Margherita Colliery Railway later classified as Dibru Sadiya Railways.

Lack of proper public representation accompanied by the indifferent attitude of Railways led to the bleak future even as the Railways mulling to introduce 'railway bus' on the existing dilapidated tracks and stations replacing original passenger trains. Amid public outcry, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Tinsukia Bijoya Kumar Mishra allaying all speculations told this correspondent that the 'Division has no plan to abandon this historic railway line' and a proposal has been sent to the Railway Ministry as well as to Railway Board for introducing 60-seater Railway Bus in the Makum-Dangori section keeping in view the public sentiments and economic viability. This, however, raises the question as to why the Division proposed for Railway Bus as against restoring original services. He was also of the view that the Makum-Dangori section was never economically viable. Contrary to his claim, an NFRMU member said the Division cannot expect good revenue without ticket booking counters in any station like Borhapjan, Hapjan, Doomdooma, Talap and present terminal station Dangori even when DEMU service was operational which are almost abandoned now while the original terminal station at Saikhowa Ghat opened in 1910 had disappeared from railway map after 1950 earthquake that sank in the middle of River Brahmaputra.

Home to several ethnic communities with diversified cultural entities, the entire route from Makum to Sadiya extending beyond to Mayodiya and Parasuram Kund in Arunachal Pradesh can reap tourism industry in a bigger way if Railways make ambitious plan to boost up the economy of the region with the creation of broad terminal station at Dangori easing out traffic congestion in Tinsukia station, viewed Pranab Phukan a senior journalist and tourism activist. With close proximity to the China border, the region is also strategically significant.

Also Read:  Restoration and preservation of historic Dibru-Sadiya Railway demanded

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