GUWAHATI, Feb 28 � A delegation of the Public Services Forum (PSF), Dima Hasao District, Assam led by its president Kulendra Daulagupu and joint secretary Liton Chakraborty on Friday met Keshav Chandra, General Manager, NF Railways in order to address the problem arising out of the suspension of the Hills Queen special train between Lumding and Lower Haflong for more than a month, a press release stated.
The delegation told the General Manager that since the suspension of the train service, the common people of the Dima Hasao district have been facing a lot of hardships as the train serves as a connection to the Jana Shatabdi Express, thereby providing better connectivity between the State capital and Haflong.
Since the introduction of this special train in 2008 by Ashutosh Swami, the then General Manager, NF Railways, it has always benefitted the students pursuing higher studies and the patients undergoing better treatment in Guwahati and elsewhere, traders and businessmen, the district officials, security personnel and other classes of the people from the district. Later, the delegation submitted a memorandum to the General Manager demanding immediate resumption of the Hills Queen special train with two services: Down train from Lumding to Lower Haflong, departure time at 10 am and Up train from Lower Haflong to Lumding at 12 noon daily; introduction of direct ticketing system for those passengers who want to travel from Lower Haflong to Guwahati and back; creation of a vigilance committee with the railways staff and members of the Public Services Forum (PSF) to monitor and check unauthorised passengers without tickets and unauthorised stoppages at non-scheduled stations and revision of the passenger fare tariff as per the distance and the special status of the train.
Keshav Chandra, GM assured the delegation that the service of the Hills Queen special train would be resumed shortly, the release added.
