GUWAHATI, Sept 27 - Welcoming the decision of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to operate a special train in the Guwahati-New Bongaigaon-Guwahati section during the festival season, the Assam Rail Passengers� Association (ARPA) has called upon the railway authorities to make the services of the train permanent for benefit of daily passengers from Lower Assam.
�It was our long pending demand for an additional daily local in the Guwahati-New Bongaigaon-Guwahati section. We are happy that Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has announced the new train. The timing of the new train is also very convenient not only for daily passengers of Lower Assam and Guwahati but also for transit passengers from Upper Assam,� Dipankar Sharma, general secretary of ARPA, said today.
He added, �However, we urge the railway authorities to make the new train a permanent one instead of keeping its services restricted to the Durga Puja and Diwali festive period.�
Sharma said that thousands of passengers commute daily between Guwahati and places like Rangia, Nalbari, Bijni, Barpeta Road, Tihu, Sorbhog, New Bongaigaon, among others, and only one local daily train in the section is not enough to cater to the rising demand for berths.
On being contacted, NFR PRO Nripen Bhattacharya said that the new train will start service from October 1 and will continue till December 31.
�The new train has been announced to clear extra rush of passengers during the festive season. Based on the feedback and response to it, there is possibility of extension of its service beyond the three-month period. However, that decision will be taken only by the appropriate authority at the appropriate time,� he said.
The newly-announced 05812 will depart from Guwahati every day at 8.35 am and reach New Bongaigaon at 1.20 pm. During the return journey, the 05811 will depart from New Bongaigaon at 2 pm and reach Guwahati at 8 pm.
