ES Reporter

 ITANAGAR, Apr 1:  To expand railway connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and provide impetus to the strategic state from the security point of view, the Centre today formally announced the final location survey of three strategic railway lines.

In a move to fulfill one of the dream projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to connect all the Northeastern states  with  railways by 2020, Union Minister of State for Communication and Railways, Manoj Sinha today formally announced the commencement of the final survey  of more  than Rs 70,000 crore  Broad Gauge  project  for three  new  railway lines in Arunachal  here today at  Naharlagun Railway Station in presence of  Mos Home, Kiren Rijiju and other dignitaries. 

 Commencing the project, Sinha said ‘Besides  security  point of view  three proposed lines Bhalukpong-Tenga-Tawang (378 km), North Lakhimpur-Bame-Aalo-Silapathar (247.85 km) and Pasighat-Tezu-Parsuram Kund-Rupai (227 km) will improve connectivity to northern and eastern frontiers of Arunachal Pradesh and help boost tourism and create job opportunities  as well as socio-economic development of the people.’

Development of Northeast is the prime agenda of Prime Minister Modi led NDA government and it is committed to connecting all states with broad gauge railway tracks by 2020.Moreover, the Centre has allocated a whopping Rs 5,886 crore for development of railway connectivity in the region, added the MoS while asserting the PM is ready to spent Rs one lakh crore for connectivity in NE. 

Further, he also assured to look into demands for introduction of goods and freight service train, introduction of a train between Naharlagun and Bangalore, Rajdhani Express status to the weekly AC express train and land acquisition for expansion of railways at Borum (Naharlagun).

 Sinha later told reporters that the Railways ministry had also sanctioned Reconnaissance Engineering-cum Traffic Survey (RETS) for eight new lines in the state for a total length of about 625 km.

The new lines include, Itakhola to Seijosa (18 km), Doomdooma to Wakro via Simaluguri, Namsai and Chiwkham (96 km) Dangri to Roing (60 km) Naharkatia-Deomali (20 km), Lekhapani-Nampong-New Khamlang-Deben (75 km) and Tinsukia to Pasighat via Kanubari, Deomali, Lekhapani, Jairampur,Kharsang, Miao, Diyun, Tezu, Bhismaknagar, Roing and Dambuk (300 km).

 

Sinha, who also holds independent charge of communication ministry, said that under the Bharat Net scheme, his ministry has proposed mobile connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country in a phased manner. Accordingly in the first phase one lakh panchayats have been targeted and laying of optical fibres and other requirements have been completed. 

Speaking on the occasion, General Manager, Northeast Frontier Railway Construction, HK Jaggi  informed that  normally  Railways  give three months time for survey of any project but  due to difficult terrain in Arunachal  specially in the 9000 ft terrain of Tawang  railways need at least a three year time frame for survey. (with inputs from  PTI)

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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