DIBRUGARH, April 9 - The long-standing demand of connecting Barak Valley and the Brahmaputra Valley through train service was fulfilled on Sunday with the historic flagging off of Train No 15944/15943 and 05944/05943 Dibrugarh-Silchar Express (weekly) train from Dibrugarh Railway Station here.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain jointly flagged of the train service after the inaugural function at Dibrugarh Railway Station. Sonowal in his inaugural speech said that the train service will strengthen the goodwill and relationship among the people of Barak and Brahmaputra valleys. He also said that with the improvement in communication, both on road and airways, people transferred to Barak valley will not hesitate to shift now. �The service will also greatly help students studying in Silchar Medical College, NIT and other institutions and also students of Barak studying in this part of the region,� Sonowal said. He also asked the Union Minister to rechristen the train service as Barak -Brahmaputra Express.
Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, local MLA Rituparna Baruah and few others spoke on the occasion.
The train will travel a total distance of 525 km, which will be covered in 13.40 hours. The train will leave Dibrugarh at 7 pm every Monday and will reach Silchar at 8:40 am every Tuesday. In return the train will leave Silchar at 10:15 pm every Tuesday and arrive at Dibrugarh on 11:20 am on Wednesday. The fares are Rs 1195 in 2AC, Rs 835 in 3 AC, Rs 305 in Sleeper Class and Rs 160 for General Class.
Our Silchar Staff Correspondent adds:
Former MP Kabindra Purakaystha on Sunday said that the new train between Dibrugarh and Silchar shall enhance connectivity between Barak and Brahmaputra Valleys.
Addressing the meeting at the Silchar Railway station on the occasion of the commencement of the weekly 05944/05943 Dibrugarh-Silchar express train with 19 coaches which was flagged off by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from Dibrugarh in the presence of Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, Purakayastha said � this was a long-pending demand for the people. The initiative echoes the positive approach of the Chief Minister who takes the name of Barak and Brahmaputra valleys in one breath and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has laid special emphasis in the development of North Eastern states.� He was quick to slam the Opposition parties which are �spreading campaigns against the Prime Minister�. DRM of NF Railway Lumding Division Pramod Kumar Jain, local MLA�s from Katigorah and Udharbondh Amar Chand Jain and Mihir Kanti Shome also attended the meeting.
�We are happy with this massive development. Now people at Dibrugarh need not to wait for long hours at Dibrugarh. The fares are also reasonable as well. However, Tinsukia should also be connected since there many passengers who travel on the route,� said Saptarshi Paul, a resident of Silchar who is a frequent traveller to Dibrugarh.
