5 Trains from (KUGT)KUMARGHAT to (CBZ)CHURAIBARI

NFR has been attempting to focus o­n infrastructural development of the existing railway transportation system and to boost tourism and improve connectivity in Tripura. Tripura is o­ne ofthe fastest growing state of North-East India is encircled by Bangladesh in the north, south and west and the States of Assam and Mizoram in the east. Railways being the main life-line of Indian economy, railway infrastructure are significant for the landlocked State of Tripura.

Tripura has seen major development works in Railway sector from 2014-22. The entire Railway network in Tripura has been converted to a broad gauge network in 2014-22 thereby eliminating all metre gauge railway lines in Tripura. To enhance connectivity, various sections like Agartala - Udaipur, Udaipur - Garjee, Garjee - Santirbazar, Belonia - Sabroom got connected by broad gauge line in Tripura. During the period from 2014-22, 115 km of new broad gauge lines commissioned in Tripura. Tripura's capital Agartala has reserved a place o­n India's broad gauge map with the much awaited starting off of Agartala - Anand Vihar Tripura Sundari Express o­n 31^stJuly 2016. First Rajdhani Express in Indian Railways with Tejas type AC sleeper coaches with latest amenities were introduced from Agartala o­n 15^th February 2021. It has already completed it’s o­ne year of successful running. Trains to Secunderabad and Bangalore from Agartala also introduced. o­n 8th January, 2022, the first train connecting Tripura and Manipur, the Janshatabdi express train between Agartala - Jiribam via Assam was flagged off.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has came to Tripura's rescue with the Roll o­n - Roll Off service to carry laden trucks loaded with fuel o­n flat-wagon goods train. When severe landslides had cut off road connectivity to Tripura in the month of July - August, 2016, shortage of fuel supply by road caused severe crisis in the state. Railways stepped in to run the first ever such train left from Bhanga (Assam) to Churaibari in Tripura. The road connecting Tripura with Assam has been in a very bad shape, disrupting the flow of commodities to Tripura and leading to a severe crisis.This helped Tripura to overcome the problem of fuel shortage.

The New Railway line project (15 km) cost of Rs.968 crore between Agartala in Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh will be completed very soon. Surveys are going o­n for new BG lines of 2.9 km Belonia – Chittagong to connect with Bangladesh, 45 km Pencharthal to Dharmanagar via Kailashahar and 170 km Dharmanagar to Pencharthal, Belonia via Kamalpur - Khowai to Agartala. o­nce all these projects will be finished, the economy of the state will benefit immensely. The tourism sector will also get a big boost.

During the period 2014-22, NFR has provided several new amenities in stations and trains from Tripura. 05 Foot Over Bridges, 128 Bio -Toilets, 20 free Wi-Fi were provided at different stations over Tripura during 2014-22. Lifts and escalators are also being constructed to provide better amenities to passengers.High speed LHB coaches with modern amenities were introduced in 02 trains and 120 CCTV monitoring systems were provided at 12 stations during 2014-22 for enhanced security of Railway property and passengers. Mechanized coach cleaning, heavy duty scrubber machines, train cleaning by o­n Board House Keeping Staff (OBHS) are also part of the Swachhta initiative. As a part of NFR’s Go-Green mission all stations in Tripura have been provided with 100% LED lights during 2014-22. Different important infrastructural & long pending works were completed during lockdown and 35 Shramik Specials trains ran over Agartala which carried about 17 thousands of migrant workers to their native state, Tripura.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) of N. F. Railway apprehended 7 Rohingyas o­n 16^th March, 2022, from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station. A joint team of Meri Saheli and Childline of New Jalpaiguri, during a routine checking, detected suspicious activity of a group of people at platform No. 01 of New Jalpaiguri Railway Station. The group consisted of six females and o­ne male.

On preliminary enquiry, they revealed that they were residing at Camp No. 5 near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. They illegally crossed the Bangladesh - India Border and came to Kumarghat Railway Station, Tripura and boarded train No. 13174, Kanchanjunga Express o­n 15^th March, 2022 to Sealdah.

On 16^th March, 2022, they all de-boarded at New Jalpaiguri station. Their prospective plan was to avail a journey from New Jalpaiguri to New Delhi by train No. 22449 (Purvottar Sampark Kranti Express) supposed to depart from New Jalpaiguri at 13: 25 hours.All of them were brought to GRP office of New Jalpaiguri for further interrogation so that their exact details can be scooped out.

RPF of N. F. Railway is always vigilant and alert towards illegal infiltration from border areas. As railway always portraits an easy transportation means from fur flung areas to other parts of the country for these infiltrators, RPF keeps up a steady routine checks at railways stations and trains to prevent it.