Gogoi demands more railway projects for Assam in Rail budget

Guwahati, Feb 11 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister TarunGogoi today requested Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee toinclude several projects for the state in the forthcomingrail budget for the year 2011-12.

Gogoi sent a letter to Banerjee for new lines forstrengthening the railway infrastructure in the North Easternregion and Assam, including a new line from Salona to Kumtaiand Jorhat to Sivasagar.

He also urged for a transport corridor along the southbank of the Brahmaputra, building of the six kmTirap-Lekhapani railway line for efficient and economicalaccess to the Lekhapani coal mines to feed the upcoming 750 MWBongaigaon Thermal Power Station (BTPS) of NTPC at Salakati inKokrajhar district and double tracking of railway line stretchbetween New Bongaigaon and Kamakhya via Goalpara to decongestthe present railway line.

The chief minister also demanded a new railway linefrom Silghat to Tezpur with a railway bridge for strategicreasons and gauge conversion of the only meter gauge stretchbetween Baraigram and Durlabcherra.

Gogoi requested Banerjee to declare theseinfrastructure as ''national projects'' for ensuring smooth fundflow.