Railway Budget 2013: No major announcement for Northeast India

GUWAHATI: Railway budget 2013-14 has nothing much for Northeast India in so far as the new projects are concerned. The budget has given assurance for the ongoing projects.

Union Railway minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal has announced Manipur will be rail linked while the gauge conversion of Lumding-Silchar-Jiribam is under progress (national project). The minister sought national project status for Rangia-Murkongselek gauge conversion.

New railway track between Dimapur to Tizit is proposed besides doubling of Bongaigaon-Kamakhya railway track via Rangia.

Chairman R.S.Joshi of Federation of Industries for Northeast Region ( FINER) told ET, “There was no big announcement. It seems more like an interim budget.”