Agartala, December 9 (TIWN): Most likely the work of broad gage line and mega block is going to be finished within the stipulated time, said the engineers of the conversion process. Mega block conversion work is going through smooth process. Though the approximate time bounds for the work is scheduled to be in the month of March, next year, but the ongoing process may ensure the early possibilities, the engineers added.

It is true that after the implementation of railway lines upto Agartala was done, there occurs a major change in the passenger service process. This had also influenced the revenue of the State also. The railway line upto Kumarghat and Dharmanagar was launched early, but the whole State did not get the full facility of this. The people of the North District earlier maintain trade relations only with the people of Assam, but with the introduction of railways, a major change in socio-economic way have been paved. The railway authorities had told that in the meantime, the mega block work between Silchar and Lumbding is 90% complete. After that the work process will continue between Silchar-Badarpur-Agartala. Though, the authority admits that the process faces many hurdles, but inspite of that the work will continue rapidly.

The 18­ month­ long gauge conversion works from Assam's Lumding to Tripura's Agartala started on Oct 1 and would continue till March 2016," an NFR official told. The railway line is broad gauge from Assam's main city of Guwahati up to Lumding (in southern Assam). From Lumding,Tripura's capital Agartala and western Manipur, Mizoram and southern Assam, the railway link with the rest of India is single and 110­112 years ­old meter gauge. The 437­km long Lumding­ Agartala meter gauge railway line, part of which is in Assam and the remaining in Tripura, would be converted into broad gauge in two phases. The Lumding-­Agartala meter­ gauge rail link connects Bairabi in northern Mizoram and Jiribam in western Manipur with the rest of the country.

However, Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar expressed his displeasure with the ongoing broad gauge conversion work.  At present the broad­ gauge conversion work is in progress at Lumbding­ Badarpur route, and then in the second phase construction would begin from Badarpur Agartala route. “The State Government earlier demanded to complete the both phases of work together”­ the work status of the present phase will not be completed within the stipulated time. It may even take upto 2016 to complete the 1stphase. On the other hand, while NFR officials visited State informed that the work will be completed within the next year.