BARPETA, Jan 7 - The people of Barpeta in particular and Jogighopa-Abhayapuri-Barpeta- Sarthebari-Hajo-Sualkuchi Rail Line Demand Committee has expressed satisfaction over the recent move of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for requesting the Union Railway Minister to take prompt measures to connect Majuli and Barpeta with the railway network.
In a statement, the demand committee welcomed the move and thanked the Chief Minister for his active and positive role in the issue. The statement, signed by Pulin Kumar Pathak, vice president of the demand committee stated that they had submitted memoranda to successive Central governments demanding the rail line since a long time . Responding to their demand, the then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav had initiated a survey of the line in 2011. But the concerned file gathered dust after the survey was completed. Further, the UPA Government at the Centre did not sanctioned adequate funds for the project.
The committee led by its president Kumar Dipak Das, former MP and secretaries Gunindra Nath Das, MLA of Barpeta and Bhuoendra Nath Roy met the Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain on August 3, 2016 last and requested him to sanction the project and earmark required funds in the forthcoming Budget for 2017-18. They argued that it will not only improve the condition of Satra Nagari Barpeta, bell metal industry of Sarthebari, brass metal industry of Hajo and the silk industry of Sualkuchi, but also promote these places as important tourist destinations.
The Railway Minister assured the delegation that their demand will be considered positively and will be reflected in the next Budget. Amidst these developments, the required push by the Chief Minister has given a new dimension to the issue. The concerned people hope that the proposal for this rail line survey will be included in the next Budget, thereby ending all negative speculation on the long-standing demand.