North-East India's Railway Connectivity Enhanced as Meghalaya Finally Emerges on Indian Railway Map

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Meghalaya rail dream on track
PM stresses connectivity​

Guwahati, Nov. 29: A dream nurtured during the British era, that of putting Meghalaya on the country’s railway map, was fulfilled as Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off a signal at 5.50pm here today.

Modi flagged off a train between Meghalaya’s Mendipathar and Guwahati, a distance of 131km, and laid the foundation stone for a 51.38km-long new broad gauge railway line between Bhairabi and Sairang in Mizoram.

As the Prime Minister held the green flag at the NF Railway Sports Stadium at Maligaon here, the train chugged out of the new station at Mendipathar amid the cheers of thousands who gathered there to be a part of the “historic moment.”

LCD screens were put up here to share the enthusiasm of the moment.

With his maiden visit to the Northeast as Prime Minister beginning today, Modi emphasised improving connectivity, seen as the region’s major bottleneck for progress. He will visit Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura during his four-day visit.

Underlining his government’s resolve to accord priority to the development of the Northeast, Modi said he had heard that according to vastu shastra, if the northeastern corner of the house was well maintained, the entire house could be taken care of.

He said for India to be prosperous, the development of the Northeast is a priority.

He reminded the gathering about the commitment of Rs 28,000 crore in the first budget of his government to building new railway lines in the region.

“If we need to improve the Northeast, we must have good infrastructure in place. The people will do the rest. The Northeast can be the Lakshmi of the country, if we can improve road and railway connectivity. I held discussions with the SAARC countries in Kathmandu recently. If we want to reap the benefits of the Look East policy, we need to adopt the Act East policy and prepare the Northeast for the opportunities in Asia,” Modi said amid thunderous applause.

Officials of NF Railway said the plan to connect Meghalaya was envisaged in 1880 when the British wanted to link Shillong (the capital of the composite Assam province) with Calcutta through Mawsmai, Cherrapunjee, Companyganj, Sylhet and Goalandu.

The project, however, did not materialise.

Guwahati and Dudhnoi in Assam’s Goalpara district have railway tracks but work on the 19.75km track between Dudhnoi and Mendipathar in Meghalaya’s North Garo hills district began in November 2008.

The Rs 275-crore project was ready in March this year and received the safety clearance in August. Nearly 10.26km of the track falls in Assam.

Lauding Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma, who was also present, Modi said connectivity, including optical fibre network system in the region, would help local youths get jobs.

“We have decided to expand the railway network and improve services. So we decided to allow 100 per cent FDI in railways. We will set up four new railway universities in four corners of the country to educate youths on railways,” Modi said.

Assam governor J.B. Patnaik, Meghalaya and Mizoram governor K.K. Paul, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, Union minister for sports Sarbananda Sonowal and railway board chairman A. Kumar attended the function.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who submitted a memorandum to Modi to improve railway services in the state, said he was in favour of having the bullet trains being planned by the Centre, in Assam.

The memorandum also said to ensure security of rail communication between the Northeast and the rest of the country, it is essential to have an alternative railway link through this stretch.

Over 3,000 people gathered at Mendipathar railway station to witness the event. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma and former chief minister of Meghalaya and chairman Meghalaya planning commission, Salseng C. Marak, Meghalaya transport minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh, chief Opposition whip, James K. Sangma, Meghalaya chief secretary, Barkos Warjri and divisional railway manager, NF Railway, Rangiya Ratan Lal, were present. Purno Sangma told The Telegraph, “When Modi waved the green flag, I felt Garo hills is moving forward to a better future.”

The veteran politician said, “In 1977, when I was first elected to Parliament, my first demand was rail connectivity for Garo hills. It is like a dream come true for me.”

He took the opportunity to thank the people of Mendipathar, who supported the move. On the expansion of the rail route, Sangma said, “I will pursue with the Centre the new proposal to expand the train services to Goalpara via Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala upto Damalgre, near Tura.”

“We have been together, and here we are,” Salseng Marak said to Purno, as they hugged to celebrate the event.

Speaking to The Telegraph, school teacher Sengman G. Momin said, “We are excited to see the train move from Mendipathar. We feel that we have contributed to this by handing over the land for construction of the station.” A young doctor who came from Baghmara in South Garo Hills, Jacob Marak, said, “I am here to celebrate Garo hills getting connected to rest of India. It is a proud moment for me.”

For Bijay Dey Sarkar, who has been with the railways for the past 28 years, it was a different moment altogether as he drove the train from Mendipathar.

Sarkar said, “I am elated to be a part of this moment, when Meghalaya is being put on the railway map of India.”

Source:- Meghalaya rail dream on track

 

[Tshering22]

Meghalaya rail dream on track
PM stresses connectivity​

Guwahati, Nov. 29: A dream nurtured during the British era, that of putting Meghalaya on the country’s railway map, was fulfilled as Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off a signal at 5.50pm here today.

Modi flagged off a train between Meghalaya’s Mendipathar and Guwahati, a distance of 131km, and laid the foundation stone for a 51.38km-long new broad gauge railway line between Bhairabi and Sairang in Mizoram.

As the Prime Minister held the green flag at the NF Railway Sports Stadium at Maligaon here, the train chugged out of the new station at Mendipathar amid the cheers of thousands who gathered there to be a part of the “historic moment.”

LCD screens were put up here to share the enthusiasm of the moment.

With his maiden visit to the Northeast as Prime Minister beginning today, Modi emphasised improving connectivity, seen as the region’s major bottleneck for progress. He will visit Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura during his four-day visit.

Underlining his government’s resolve to accord priority to the development of the Northeast, Modi said he had heard that according to vastu shastra, if the northeastern corner of the house was well maintained, the entire house could be taken care of.

He said for India to be prosperous, the development of the Northeast is a priority.

He reminded the gathering about the commitment of Rs 28,000 crore in the first budget of his government to building new railway lines in the region.

“If we need to improve the Northeast, we must have good infrastructure in place. The people will do the rest. The Northeast can be the Lakshmi of the country, if we can improve road and railway connectivity. I held discussions with the SAARC countries in Kathmandu recently. If we want to reap the benefits of the Look East policy, we need to adopt the Act East policy and prepare the Northeast for the opportunities in Asia,” Modi said amid thunderous applause.

Officials of NF Railway said the plan to connect Meghalaya was envisaged in 1880 when the British wanted to link Shillong (the capital of the composite Assam province) with Calcutta through Mawsmai, Cherrapunjee, Companyganj, Sylhet and Goalandu.

The project, however, did not materialise.

Guwahati and Dudhnoi in Assam’s Goalpara district have railway tracks but work on the 19.75km track between Dudhnoi and Mendipathar in Meghalaya’s North Garo hills district began in November 2008.

The Rs 275-crore project was ready in March this year and received the safety clearance in August. Nearly 10.26km of the track falls in Assam.

Lauding Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma, who was also present, Modi said connectivity, including optical fibre network system in the region, would help local youths get jobs.

“We have decided to expand the railway network and improve services. So we decided to allow 100 per cent FDI in railways. We will set up four new railway universities in four corners of the country to educate youths on railways,” Modi said.

Assam governor J.B. Patnaik, Meghalaya and Mizoram governor K.K. Paul, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, Union minister for sports Sarbananda Sonowal and railway board chairman A. Kumar attended the function.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who submitted a memorandum to Modi to improve railway services in the state, said he was in favour of having the bullet trains being planned by the Centre, in Assam.

The memorandum also said to ensure security of rail communication between the Northeast and the rest of the country, it is essential to have an alternative railway link through this stretch.

Over 3,000 people gathered at Mendipathar railway station to witness the event. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma and former chief minister of Meghalaya and chairman Meghalaya planning commission, Salseng C. Marak, Meghalaya transport minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh, chief Opposition whip, James K. Sangma, Meghalaya chief secretary, Barkos Warjri and divisional railway manager, NF Railway, Rangiya Ratan Lal, were present. Purno Sangma told The Telegraph, “When Modi waved the green flag, I felt Garo hills is moving forward to a better future.”

The veteran politician said, “In 1977, when I was first elected to Parliament, my first demand was rail connectivity for Garo hills. It is like a dream come true for me.”

He took the opportunity to thank the people of Mendipathar, who supported the move. On the expansion of the rail route, Sangma said, “I will pursue with the Centre the new proposal to expand the train services to Goalpara via Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala upto Damalgre, near Tura.”

“We have been together, and here we are,” Salseng Marak said to Purno, as they hugged to celebrate the event.

Speaking to The Telegraph, school teacher Sengman G. Momin said, “We are excited to see the train move from Mendipathar. We feel that we have contributed to this by handing over the land for construction of the station.” A young doctor who came from Baghmara in South Garo Hills, Jacob Marak, said, “I am here to celebrate Garo hills getting connected to rest of India. It is a proud moment for me.”

For Bijay Dey Sarkar, who has been with the railways for the past 28 years, it was a different moment altogether as he drove the train from Mendipathar.

Sarkar said, “I am elated to be a part of this moment, when Meghalaya is being put on the railway map of India.”

Source:- Meghalaya rail dream on track

Ah Bless the man, PM Modi ji.

Traveling to and within Meghalaya used to be such a mess till now.

Happy to see this.

We are really excited to have the Prime Minister come to our region.

I hope he stays in each state for a day to listen to and solve our problems.

 

[TimeTraveller]

Meghalaya rail dream on track
PM stresses connectivity​

Guwahati, Nov. 29: A dream nurtured during the British era, that of putting Meghalaya on the country’s railway map, was fulfilled as Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off a signal at 5.50pm here today.

Modi flagged off a train between Meghalaya’s Mendipathar and Guwahati, a distance of 131km, and laid the foundation stone for a 51.38km-long new broad gauge railway line between Bhairabi and Sairang in Mizoram.

As the Prime Minister held the green flag at the NF Railway Sports Stadium at Maligaon here, the train chugged out of the new station at Mendipathar amid the cheers of thousands who gathered there to be a part of the “historic moment.”

LCD screens were put up here to share the enthusiasm of the moment.

With his maiden visit to the Northeast as Prime Minister beginning today, Modi emphasised improving connectivity, seen as the region’s major bottleneck for progress. He will visit Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura during his four-day visit.

Underlining his government’s resolve to accord priority to the development of the Northeast, Modi said he had heard that according to vastu shastra, if the northeastern corner of the house was well maintained, the entire house could be taken care of.

He said for India to be prosperous, the development of the Northeast is a priority.

He reminded the gathering about the commitment of Rs 28,000 crore in the first budget of his government to building new railway lines in the region.

“If we need to improve the Northeast, we must have good infrastructure in place. The people will do the rest. The Northeast can be the Lakshmi of the country, if we can improve road and railway connectivity. I held discussions with the SAARC countries in Kathmandu recently. If we want to reap the benefits of the Look East policy, we need to adopt the Act East policy and prepare the Northeast for the opportunities in Asia,” Modi said amid thunderous applause.

Officials of NF Railway said the plan to connect Meghalaya was envisaged in 1880 when the British wanted to link Shillong (the capital of the composite Assam province) with Calcutta through Mawsmai, Cherrapunjee, Companyganj, Sylhet and Goalandu.

The project, however, did not materialise.

Guwahati and Dudhnoi in Assam’s Goalpara district have railway tracks but work on the 19.75km track between Dudhnoi and Mendipathar in Meghalaya’s North Garo hills district began in November 2008.

The Rs 275-crore project was ready in March this year and received the safety clearance in August. Nearly 10.26km of the track falls in Assam.

Lauding Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma, who was also present, Modi said connectivity, including optical fibre network system in the region, would help local youths get jobs.

“We have decided to expand the railway network and improve services. So we decided to allow 100 per cent FDI in railways. We will set up four new railway universities in four corners of the country to educate youths on railways,” Modi said.

Assam governor J.B. Patnaik, Meghalaya and Mizoram governor K.K. Paul, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, Union minister for sports Sarbananda Sonowal and railway board chairman A. Kumar attended the function.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who submitted a memorandum to Modi to improve railway services in the state, said he was in favour of having the bullet trains being planned by the Centre, in Assam.

The memorandum also said to ensure security of rail communication between the Northeast and the rest of the country, it is essential to have an alternative railway link through this stretch.

Over 3,000 people gathered at Mendipathar railway station to witness the event. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma and former chief minister of Meghalaya and chairman Meghalaya planning commission, Salseng C. Marak, Meghalaya transport minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh, chief Opposition whip, James K. Sangma, Meghalaya chief secretary, Barkos Warjri and divisional railway manager, NF Railway, Rangiya Ratan Lal, were present. Purno Sangma told The Telegraph, “When Modi waved the green flag, I felt Garo hills is moving forward to a better future.”

The veteran politician said, “In 1977, when I was first elected to Parliament, my first demand was rail connectivity for Garo hills. It is like a dream come true for me.”

He took the opportunity to thank the people of Mendipathar, who supported the move. On the expansion of the rail route, Sangma said, “I will pursue with the Centre the new proposal to expand the train services to Goalpara via Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala upto Damalgre, near Tura.”

“We have been together, and here we are,” Salseng Marak said to Purno, as they hugged to celebrate the event.

Speaking to The Telegraph, school teacher Sengman G. Momin said, “We are excited to see the train move from Mendipathar. We feel that we have contributed to this by handing over the land for construction of the station.” A young doctor who came from Baghmara in South Garo Hills, Jacob Marak, said, “I am here to celebrate Garo hills getting connected to rest of India. It is a proud moment for me.”

For Bijay Dey Sarkar, who has been with the railways for the past 28 years, it was a different moment altogether as he drove the train from Mendipathar.

Sarkar said, “I am elated to be a part of this moment, when Meghalaya is being put on the railway map of India.”

Source:- Meghalaya rail dream on track

Great....

 

[Judge]

I hope he stays in each state for a day to listen to and solve our problems.

Amen!
Massive effort needs to be put in North East India.
There should be seamless connectivity of North East with expressways and railways.

NE has the potential to be the tourist center of India if the infrastructure is made.

 

[Tshering22]

Amen!
Massive effort needs to be put in North East India.
There should be seamless connectivity of North East with expressways and railways.

There has been a problem of overcrowding roads and railways here because of the thin Siliguri corridor which has limited space for such massive connective developments. Indira should have negotiated additional northern territory from Mujibur Rehman when there was time.

Anyhow, I really hope that the air connectivity improves. We have very limited flights to our region except for Assam and Tripura. Other airport structures exist but no commercial airlines come very regularly. Only charters and non-scheduled.

Also we in Sikkim have no airport, despite being a key tourism-dominated state.

It is being made.

NE has the potential to be the tourist center of India if the infrastructure is made.

Something has to be done about the safety issue in Manipur, parts of Assam and Nagaland. Terrorism and separatism have caused havoc and restricted people from coming both internal and external.

With our low population, places to see and if government provides good infrastructure facilities, we could simply have a very prosperous northeast just out of tourism industry.

 

[Skull and Bones]

As i always said, next phase of growth should come from the long neglected north east. The emphasis has to build a railway corridor through Burma to Vietnam, and use northeast as the hub for trade and commerce.

And as Northeasterners are more educated than the average rest of India, in percentage terms, setting up service based industries shouldn't be that tough as well.

 

[Maravan]

Good development. Once the NE- Myanmar-Thailand Highyway is ready, hope our NE will get more industrial corridors.

Highway linking India to Myanmar, Thailand likely by 2016: VK Singh - Livemint

 

[INDIC]

As i always said, next phase of growth should come from the long neglected north east. The emphasis has to build a railway corridor through Burma to Vietnam, and use northeast as the hub for trade and commerce.

And as Northeasterners are more educated than the average rest of India, in percentage terms, setting up service based industries shouldn't be that tough as well.

Entire Eastern India need development along with North-East.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Entire Eastern India need development along with North-East.

With Mamata in power, i'm counting the state as a 'black hole' of resources.

 

[SrNair]

We should connect entire NE with railway and roadway connection.We still need to tap the tourism potential in there.

 

[INDIC]

With Mamata in power, i'm counting the state as a 'black hole' of resources.

Even Buddhadeb was much better than her.

 

[Soumitra]

Narendra Modi favours privatization, modernization of railway stations

GUWAHATI: Meghalaya on Saturday came on the country's rail map more than six decades after Independence, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off the first train to the northeastern state and favouring privatization of railway stations.

"Railway facilities are the same as they were 100 years back ... Privatize the railway stations and modernise them," he said after flagging off the first train linking Meghalaya.

"I will make it in 10-12 places. Stations should be better than airports as most travellers are poor people. We can easily have trains running below and commercial properties above (floor)," Modi reasoned.

At a time when real estate is very expensive, railways should leverage its properties by allowing private parties to build luxury hotels, restaurants and other facilities, he added.

He said once this exercise is completed in these places, the government will carry out modernization of stations across the country.

The Prime Minister on Saturday inaugurated the Mendipathar-Guwahati passenger train and laid the foundation stone of broad gauge conversion of Bhairabi-Sairang line in Mizoram.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) with Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi at the NF Railway Stadium in Maligaon, Guwahati, during the flagging off of first train between Mendipathar (Meghalaya) and Guwahati.

Modi said the Indian Railways have the potential to become the backbone of the country's economic activity.

"We will not be happy in just adding one coach or upgrading one station. We want both horizontal and vertical development of the railways. It can become the engine of Indian economy," he added.

The government has already allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment to completely modernize the railway transportation in the country, he said.

Modi said the government has decided to open four railway universities in the four corners of the country where all aspects of railway service will be taught.

Modi, on efforts to modernize railways, said under new rail minister Suresh Prabhu (above) things will move ahead at a very quick pace.

He said railway can be a mode of eco-friendly mass transportation, which will be India's contribution to contain global warming.

Talking about connectivity to northeast, Modi said: "Infrastructure is the most important factor to develop northeast. If we want to develop India, we have to develop northeast."

Giving example of good roads in South Korea, he said India, particularly this region, should have better connectivity to leverage its potential.

"The upper middle class in India wants to go for visiting places once or twice a year. They keep searching for good places. If we have good connectivity, then they will come to northeast as it is full of natural beauty and lovely people.

"Once infrastructure is developed, rest all will be done by the public," Modi said.

The Prime Minister also favoured connecting northeast digitally by installing optical fibre network so that people in remotest area can also avail all facilities of the cyber world.

"We have to take forward 'Look Act Policy'. We have 'Look East Policy' and now we will have 'Act East Policy'. Northeast will be the centre of development," he added.

Narendra Modi favours privatization, modernization of railway stations - The Times of India

 

[Skull and Bones]

Even Buddhadeb was much better than her.

I won't rate the government under Buddhadeb was pinnacle of governance, but it wasn't this much worse. Well, sometimes change is bad.

 

[Star Wars]

With Mamata in power,

Not for long from what i hear

 

[Skull and Bones]

Not for long from what i hear

Yes, every revolution in Bengal starts from Jadavpur University, and the university gave it's verdict on next election. Moreover, bitch changed my university name from West Bengal University of Technology to 'Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad University of Technology'. There goes 25000 votes up in thin air.