AGARTALA, April 14 (TIWN): The much hyped BG passenger train service which was supposedly scheduled to begin its journey from Bengali New Year has failed to begin its journey shattering the hopes of common people of Tripura.

It is to be mentioned here that the NFR, which is supposed to declare the date for commencement of passenger train service at the earliest, is yet to do the same.

Although it was assumed that BG passenger train service will begin its journey from Bengali New Year as the CRS has given clearance to toll the train at any money on the newly laid BG track but the hopes of common people shattered.

However, the sources said that NFR wants to repair the defects at Dharamanagar railway station to ensure full safety before starting the BG Passenger train service from Tripura.

It is to be mentioned here that demand for running of three pairs of passenger trains on the newly built BG track has also been made. As per the demand, one pair trains on the Agartala-Silchar route must while two pair trains on the Agartala-Dharmanagar should be introduced at the earliest. According to NFR sources, the newly built track is ready to flag off BG train service and Tripureswari Shakti Express might be the inaugural train from Agartala.

On commissioning, this section will provide an alternative link to the rail network in Tripura.

The new broad gauge line will improve rail connectivity between Tripura and other states of the country.

Once the route is commissioned, there are expectations that new services would be allowed in due course of time.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is working hard to bring Agartala under the country’s Broad Gauge Network by end of April 2016. With the introduction of the BG facility, travelling would become more easy and reasonable.

The long wait of northeastern state of Tripura to have direct broad-gauge rail connectivity with rest of India is once again delayed as the railway authority failed to starts the BG passenger train service from Tripura on Bengali New Year. The railways have completed the BG conversion work and the track is also all set to toll the train followed by the clearance from CRS team.  

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.