RANGIYA, Feb 17 � Raising serious concern over the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned towards the development of the railway network in the State at par with other parts of the country, the Assam Rail Passengers� Association (ARPA) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh recently, urging him to initiate action in this regard. Secretary of the body Dipankar Sarma, expressing concern over the alleged apathetic attitude of the Indian Railway authorities towards incorporating and accomplishing vital railway projects in the State, has pleaded Dr Singh to look into a few of the long-standing demands including construction of a double-line track between the New Bongaigaon and Agyathuri railway stretch, a second railway bridge at Saraighat over the Brahmaputra to accommodate more passenger and goods trains.
The memorandum also urged the Prime Minister to provide a direct daytime inter-city train service for the benefit of passengers commuting from both Upper and Lower Assam, besides extension of train service (train Nos-15927/15928 and 05667/05668) from Kamakhya to New Bongaigaon via Rangiya, arrangement of DEMU (Diesel Electric Mulptiple Unit) rake for short-distance service, incorporation of one short-distance passenger train reaching Guwahati at around 8 pm and leaving at 4.30 pm via New Bongaigaon-Rangiya to Guwahati section.
The body also sought incorporation of another train service in the down direction, leaving Guwahati to New Bonagigaon at around 8.15 am and leaving New Bongaigaon to Guwahati at around 3.30 in the afternoon via Rangiya, a Duranto Express train from Guwahati to Mumbai and extension of train service (train Nos. 5771/5772) from Kamakhya to Guwahati as announced earlier. The body has urged Dr Singh to include its stated demands in the Railway Budget and take necessary action soon.
