Train connecting Tripura with Manipur flagged off

    09-Jan-2022
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AGARTALA, Jan 8
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Jan Shatabdi Express between Badharghat railway station in Tripura and Jiribam railway station in Manipur through video conferencing on Saturday.
The Railway Minister said at the inaugural ceremony that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Government was trying to develop connectivity in North East India and also across the country.
Addressing the inaugural event, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said, “Tripura has a long relation with Manipur, both cultural and matrimonial. Our royal family has a long history with Manipur; three of our queens were from Manipur. Manipur is in our blood. PM Modi’s Government has joined these two States through railways once again.”
As per the railway itinerary, the Jan Shatabdi Express will need six hours to travel from Agartala to Jiribam with stoppages at Ambassa, Dharmanagar, New Karimganj, Badarpur and New Arunachal stations before reaching Jiribam. The train is scheduled to ply thrice a week for now.
Deb said that projects to connect Imphal city with Tripura were also in the pipeline. He added that the Jan Shatabdi Express would require even less time to make the trip after the completion of track re-development work.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said, “Tripura has had great relations with Manipur since royal times. Several Manipuris still live in Tripura, many of our historical sites are also there. This project will not only connect Tripura and Manipur, but also the entire North East India.”
A few passengers who took the inaugural ride said that more such services will help them avoid hectic road travels.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhowmik, Tripura Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, MLA Mimi Majumder and others also joined the inaugural event in Tripura.
Apart from Manipur CM N Biren Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr RK Ranjan Singh, among others, joined the event at Imphal.
The Jan Shatabdi is the ninth express train running from Tripura after the Rajdhani Express, Tripurasundari Express Punjab, Kanchanjunga Express, Humsafar Express, Secunderabad Express, Deoghar Express, Rani Kamalapati-Agartala Express and a special express train plying between Silchar in Assam and Agartala. Tripura also has two pairs of DEMU trains providing local train services in northern and southern parts of the State.
Courtesy Indian Express