Separate railway division at Silchar crucial for Southern Assam: MP Purkayastha
Rajya Sabha MP Kanad Purkayastha urges the Centre to establish a separate railway division at Silchar, citing overload on Lumding Division
Kanad Purkayastha (photo - @kanadpurkaystha / X)
Silchar, Feb 5: Rajya Sabha MP Kanad Purkayastha on Tuesday raised a strong demand for the establishment of a separate railway division at Silchar during Zero Hour in Parliament, citing mounting operational pressure on the Lumding Division and strategic importance of southern Assam.
Drawing the attention of the House and the Union Railway Minister, Purkayastha said the Lumding Railway Division, established in 1969, has seen a massive expansion of its jurisdiction and workload over the years.
With complete conversion to broad gauge by 2015 and commissioning of several new sections, the division is now operating far beyond manageable limits, he said.
He also flagged the proposed Trans-Asian Railway Network, which is expected to boost international freight and passenger movement through southern Assam, further burdening the existing divisional setup.
Highlighting regional challenges, Purkayastha said: “The railway services in the area are frequently disrupted during monsoon due to landslides and flooding, underscoring the need for closer administrative control for passenger safety and smoother operations.”
He reminded the House that the Railway Board had issued a notification in 2012 for setting up new railway divisions at Silchar and Jammu.
“While the Jammu Division became operational in January 2025, the Silchar Division is yet to be established despite the availability of suitable land,” Purkayastha maintained.
Calling Silchar the major urban and administrative hub of southern Assam, with robust civic amenities, medical and educational institutions, air connectivity and infrastructure, Purkayastha said the upcoming Lanka-Silchar line intersecting the Arunachal-Imphal line at Dudhpatil near Silchar makes the location strategically ideal for a new division.
He urged the Railway Minister to consider the demand sympathetically and take early steps to establish a railway division at Dudhpatil near Silchar in the interest of operational efficiency, regional development, national integration and strategic connectivity of the Northeast.