Act East Policy: Railways Is Seeking Approval To Double New Bongaigaon-Guwahati Railway Lines In Assam

The Railway Ministry will soon be approaching the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to gain clearance for doubling the new Bongaigaon-Guwahati line via Rangiya in Assam, the Times of India reported, citing Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

The minister was addressing a review meeting of senior railway officials on Saturday (29 December) at the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) headquarters. He said that after the inauguration of the Bogibeel bridge, all attention needs to go to enhance the capacity by ensuring the railway lines double in the region. Further, officials were asked by Goyal to prepare the plan of action within one week.

Goyal also spoke to the state's forest Minister, Primal Suklabaidya, to ensure quick permission for procuring soil, which was holding up the project. Goyal has also requested for the Vistadome coaches on various tourist routes, including Ludming-Bardarpur hill section.

The minister was also notified that new railway line on Tetelia-Byrnihat, Agartala-Sabroom and the Jogbani-Viratnagar international line, as well as the doubling of the lines at Lumding-Hojai section, would be ready soon.

Before the review meeting, Goyal visited the Kamakhya temple and promised to name a premium passenger train after Goddess Kamakhya.

Goyal said that the timely completion of projects in the northeastern regions has "always been the topmost priority" of the present government. He added that the “thrust for this” led to the completion of the Bogibeel project on time.

Goyal said that NFR’s Rangiya division’s mechanism to drive elephants away from tracks by using the sound of honey bees was an example of rural innovation and can be turned into reality.

Whenever elephants are spotted near railway lines, the sound of bees will be amplified to chase them away and save them from being hit by trains. The ministry is considering replicating the mechanism in other parts of the country.