AGARTALA, Oct 10 (TIWN): Tripura will get the much awaited broad-gauge rail link facility by March next year; Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh after a meeting with Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar in Agartala today expressed this confidence. Soon after his arrival on a two-day visit to Tripura Union Minister met the CM at the civil secretariat and discussed about many issues relating to state development. Dr. Jitendra Singh said the distinct advantage of having a broad-gauge rail destination at Agartala would be that it will not only serve as a railway junction for further expansion of network in the region but would, in the later stages, also help in supplementing the rail connection with neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh. In addition to improving the transport infrastructure in the region, this would also be an adjuvant to India’s “Act East” policy under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Dr. Jitendra Singh. Similarly, the work on the flyover from Nagerjala to Melarmath measuring 2.5 kms costing Rs.227 crores will also be expedited. Referring to Tripura as one of the relatively peaceful States in the Northeast, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, several of the targets including electrification and telephone-mobile connectivity have been achieved to a very high extent with the active support of Central government and cooperation from the State authorities.

The air connectivity will also improve in the near future with increase in number of flights and the possibility of the expansion of Agartala airport is also being assessed, he added. 

Even though being the third smallest State in the country, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Tripura has its own strategic importance and shares its borders with Bangladesh in North, South and West, and can thus become an important exit point of export and trade with the countries on the eastern border. 

Dr. Jitendra Singh said his dream is that each State of the Northeast Region should develop an individual identity of its own and to that extent, Tripura has a huge potential for bamboo based industry in terms of wealth creation and employment generation. If this potential is utilized to its full extent, Tripura would become known as the “Bamboo State" of India. He said the State and the Central governments can join hands to promote bamboo-based industry and handicraft items, which is bound to find market across the country. 

Later, Dr Jitendra Singh held a review meeting with State administration led by the Chief Secretary.