Passenger train to be launched on Oct 6

Agartala, Oct 2: For the first time, full-fledged passenger train service between Agartala and South Assam's Silchar would be started on October 6, Northeast Frontier Railway officials said here on Thursday, Oct 2.

Railway officials said the passenger train was supposed to be launched from Agartala on a commercial bsis by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on August 15, but it could not been done due to the minister's other important preoccupations.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) authorities have been preparing to start the commercial railway service upto Agartala during the Durga Puja festival and all the arrangements have already been completed, a senior NFR official said.

The official pointed out that as part of security measures, besides a huge contingent of paramilitary troopers and Railway Protection Force (RPF), bullet-proof coaches and protective jackets for crew members had been undertaken for train services in the militancy-hit hill section of southern Assam that links Tripura and Mizoram.

Train services in this section had been suspended since May 15 after a spurt in militant activities, affecting rail communication in Tripura, Mizoram, parts of Manipur, besides the three districts of southern Assam - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi.

UNI