IMPHAL, May 28 - Manipur on Friday witnessed a broadgauge passenger train service for the first time since Independence as it traversed 55 kms from Jiribam in the State to Silchar in Assam�s Cachar district.
But local passengers missed the chance of boarding the train as there was lack of information regarding the flagging off ceremony at Jiribam, 220 km west of here, sources said.
The passenger train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Shillong while two Lok Sabha MPs � Dr Th Meinya and Thangso Baite along with NF Railway and State Transport department officials attended the official programme at Jiribam railway station. The train carrying mostly security and railway officials left Jiribam at around 4.25 pm about one hour behind schedule, sources added.
The first locomotive train on broad gauge was run between Jiribam to Dholakhal (12 km) in Manipur in March this year. According to official sources, the construction of 84 km Jiribam-Tupul broad gauge project out of 111 km long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway line to connect the capital with broad gauge network of the country is nearing completion.
The foundation of the railway line, which is estimated to cost Rs 5,996 crore, was laid by then Prime Minister in November 2004. The Jiribam-Tupul project would be completed by 2019, according to Chief Administrative Officer of NF Railway Ajit Pandit.
Dr Meinya and Thangso Baite while speaking at the function have urged the railways to complete the project within target date.
