First goods train in newly Gauge Converted Lumding – Silchar section flagged off

GUWAHATI: History was made when the first Broad Gauge goods train in the newly Gauge Converted Lumding – Silchar section was flagged off by Suresh Prabhu, Railway Minister from New Delhi by remotely on Friday.

At the Lumding Railway station, thousands cheered as the train loaded with about two thousand three hundred tonnes of potatoes from West Bengal, chugged into the pristine Barail Hills.

The Metre Gauge train operations on this section had been closed for ‘Mega Block’ from October 1, 2014 and the Railways have been able to complete the Gauge Conversion work within the target date of March 31, 2015.

Prabhu, while complimenting the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) for completing this difficult project within the stipulated time frame, stated that this would lead to all round progress and economic development of the region.

The Lumding – Badarpur – Silchar section has a legacy of over a century as the Metre Gauge line was commissioned in 1904 to connect the Brahmaputra valley to the rest of India. It continues to be the lifeline of Southern Assam and the states of Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur as almost the entire food grain supply to this area takes place through this line.

Railways stated that this Gauge Conversion has therefore set into motion the process of providing seamless Rail connectivity to the people of this area with the rest of the country.

The Lumding – Silchar Gauge Conversion project was sanctioned in 1996-97 and considering its importance, was accorded the status of a National Project in 2004.

The latest anticipated cost of the project is about Rs 5500 crores. In the phase-1 of the project (costing about Rs 3500 crores), which is nearing completion, Gauge Conversion of Lumding-Silchar section of 210 km has been done. Phase-2 consists of Gauge Conversion of Badarpur-Kumarghat (118 km) and finger lines Arunachal-Jiribam (50 km), Baraigram-Dullabcherra (29 km) & Karimganj-Mahishasan including Karimganj Bye pass line (13.50 km). Phase -2 of the project will be completed by 31.03.2016.

According to Railways there have been technical and geological challenges in constructing the tunnels and deep cuttings. There are 21 tunnels in this section with a total length of 12.86 kms. There are 79 major bridges with the magnificent Dayang Bridge.