Prabhu assures BG connectivity in all states in NE

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday said that his ministry is committed to connect all states of the North East with Broad Gauge lines and lay BG lines in 8.5 lakh km across the country within five years.

"Connectivity in the North East is the priority of the Centre and efforts are on for electrification of all BG lines in the region in the next five years," the minister said after flagging off a train and laying foundation of a project through video conferencing from the NFR headquarters at Maligaon in Guwahati.

Since NDA has come to power in 2014 railway projects worth Rs 90,000 crore have been undertaken for all the states of the region, he said. "During 2016-17 the railway ministry introduced 26 new trains for the North East," he said.

Earlier, he flagged off the Naharlagun-Guwahati Shatabdi Express and laid the foundation of the Murkongselek-Pasighat broad gauge line in Arunachal. He also announced commencement of surveys for seven new lines in the state.

Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain assured to complete the survey works of seven BG lines by December next year. The minister also assured to complete the work on Murkongselek-Pasighat BG line by 2018.