Vande Bharat Exp to Agartala by early next year: MP

Agartala: Following the electrification of railway lines extending to Tripura through South Assam, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is prioritising the launch of Vande Bharat Express to connect Agartala and Silchar, Tripura's Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee said on Thursday.Bhattacharjee, who leads the state's BJP unit, confirmed that the infrastructure for operating Vande Bharat Express trains to Silchar and Agartala is nearly complete, with minor works pending completion shortly. The service is anticipated to commence operations from Guwahati to Agartala and Silchar early next year."Prime Minister Narendra Modi always gives priority to the development of NE states and Vande Bharat Express is one of his dream projects for the region. Initially, Assam and Tripura became the front runner because of infrastructure," Bhattacharjee said. He added that the Prime Minister dedicated 18 Jan Aushadhi Kendras at various railway stations nationwide on Wednesday, including Agartala. He added that numerous other projects are planned for Tripura, which were unprecedented before Modi's leadership.The essential infrastructure work, including electrification, was scheduled for completion by December, enabling the operation of Vande Bharat Express trains linking Silchar and Agartala. The Prime Minister launched Assam's inaugural Vande Bharat Express in May last year, connecting Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), with plans for extension to Agartala.NFR officials reported achieving 64% electrification of their network, covering 2708.52 km of route out of the total 4260.52 km, as they work towards achieving net zero carbon emission. The electrification has been completed for 1524.71 km of railway route thus far.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.