Railways urged to protect century-old train track as heritage

HAFLONG(ASSAM): Various organisations in Assam's Hill district of Dima Hasao have urged railway authorities to protect the century-old meter gauge train track between Mahur and Harangajao as a national heritage site.

The request has been made as the track represents pre-independence history of Indian Railways and the deep- rooted attachment to the line by the people of Dima Hsaso and Barak Valley of Assam in particular and the entire North Eastern region in general.

The meter gauge railway connecting Lumding and Silchar was converted to a broad gauge track but the metre gauge track between Mahur and Harangajao has not yet been effected in this conversion of tracks project.

Dimasa Apex Body, Jadikhe Naisho Hoshom, NGOs, other organisations and civil society in the district in a meeting here today highlighted the importance on retaining the meter gauge train line and declaring it a national heritage site.

A memorandum jointly signed by them was forwarded to Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar in New Delhi with a copy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister S Gowda, urging them to declare the meter gauge line a national heritage site.

The memorandum was released to the media.