BADARPUR, March 4 � Looking at the progress of the broad gauge works in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section and the line up to Silchar, it is expected that the passenger trains on the broad gauge line will run from April, said Ajit Pandit, NF Railway chief administrative officer.
Talking to media persons here, Pandit said that in the new BG railway track a diesel engine will be run first from New Halflong to Badarpur and then up to Silchar on a trial basis from March 15 to 20. After that a goods train will run on the track. As per plan, if everything is found satisfactory then the passenger trains will run from April next which will be a Bihu gift to the people of Barak Valley.
All pending works will be completed within the mega block period. Further, the works at Badarpur Junction is going on in war footing, said Pandit, who came here to inspect the progress of work along with Rabindra Ram, NF Railway Chief Engineer, PK Das, Deputy Engineer of NF Railway (Construction), Silchar and several other high officials.
The officials inspected each and every department of the newly constructed railway station buildings and the three platforms which have been constructed with all modern amenities. Talking about dismantling of the meter gauge track, earth works, track-linking, ballasting and packing of track, etc., the official said that the progress of work has been quite satisfactory.
Meanwhile, construction of major and minor bridges, road overbridges and underbridges, station buildings, platforms, etc., have been completed and the final touch has to be given. The works on the railway yards in Silchar and Badarpur have also been completed, the railway official said, adding that a large number of BG signal points have already been set up by the engineers of the signal department.
The railway official informed that all the 102 locations of broad gauge connection have already been completed. Construction works at all the 17 tunnels in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section have also been completed and there is no problem at the tunnels, he said.
From Lumding to Silchar, the total length of the BG project is 210 km, and there are 17 tunnels. This national project has 79 major bridges, 340 minor bridges, 28 railway stations and four halt stations. Among the 28 railway stations, Lumding, New Haflong, Silchar and Badarpur railway stations have been identified as the most important railway stations.
