In Parl, BJP MP pitches for 2nd rail link with Mizoram

SILCHAR: Kripanath Mallah, BJP MP from Karimganj, on Wednesday flagged the issue of railway connectivity between Assam’s Barak Valley and Mizoram in Parliament and demanded establishment of a second railway link with the neighbouring state by extending the broadgauge line from Karimganj district’s Dullabcherra to Jamuang near the Assam-Mizoram border.
At present, Mizoram has only rail connectivity from Assam’s Silchar to Bairabi in the bordering state.
Mallah told Parliament that commuters of Assam and Mizoram have been benefited after the Silchar-Bhairabi train service was initiated and that people of both the states would benefit more if train services are started between Dullabcherra and Jamuang. The MP also pitched for initiation of a passenger train from Silchar to Karimganj via Dullabcherra.
It may be mentioned that former railway minister and now West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had given the green signal to the Dullabcherra-Jamuang train service in connection with an appeal by former Congress MP from Karimganj Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya when the UPA government was in power at the Centre. The project, however, could not materialise because of fund-related issues at that time.
Land-related formalities have already been completed for the project. It is expected that the project will be started soon after the government allocates necessary funds for the same.
The Northeast Frontier Railway is executing the Bairabi–Sairang new railway line project in Mizoram. The railway ministry plans to complete the project by March 2023.