YUREMBAM (MANIPUR), July 30 - Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government�s vision is to integrate North East with a �holistic approach� of connectivity and development.
�It�s not only the physical development and connectivity but the emotional connectivity,� Railways Minister Prabhu said. �So, all the NE States except Sikkim is connected with railways as our focus is to connect the region with rest of the country through rail network.�
Prabhu, who was here along with MoS (Railways) Rajen Gohain, to launch the commencement of work on the country�s longest railway tunnel worth Rs 780 crore and laying the foundation stone of the Rs 8 crore Imphal rail station building at Yurembam village near here.
The rail station will be developed with Kangla Fort and Gobindajee temple designs at Yurembam village.
The Union Minister said railway expenditure in NE is two times higher in last two years than the last five years, adding that the entire NE region is connected with broad gauge except 43 km stretch which will also be completed within next few months. The Central Government plans to connect all NE States with BG rail link by 2020.
He also assured that a world class railway terminus will be developed in Guwahati and extension of ongoing Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal rail line will be to the commercial border town of Moreh.
�I can assure we will take up this project by consulting the Finance Ministry,� he said in response to Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi�s appeal to include the 110 km Imphal-Moreh route in order to meet Act East Policy dream. The extension project will cost around Rs 9,000 crore.
Ibobi highlighted Manipur�s potential in connectivity with the South Asian countries.
The Manipur project launched by the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, is estimated to cost about Rs 9,000 crore. It is targeted to be completed by 2019.
