Sluggish BG project work leaves Barak in the lurch

GUWAHATI, June 29: At a time when the fate of the Lumding-Silchar Broad Gauge Project is uncertain, the newly constructed Kumarghat-Ambasa-Agartala rail track will have its final trial run tomorrow. The project has been completed before its target schedule. It is worth mentioning here that both the projects were started in 1996-1997. A locomotive completed its maiden run between Kumarghat and Agartala as the dress rehearsal before the final trial run, contractors engaged in the project said. The Commissioner of Railway Safety is expected to inspect the rail track soon, the sources added.With this development, Agartala will be in the railway map of the country formally on August 15 this year. The introduction of a Silchar-Agartala Inter-city Express has already been suggested by the Parliamentary Standing Committee to Railway (PSCR).However, the smooth running on the newly constructed Kumarghat-Agartala line depends much on the repeatedly disrupted Lumding-Silchar BG project in so far as connectivity of Tripura with the rest of the country is concerned. The sluggish progress of the BG project has left the people of Barak Valley and at least three north-eastern States in the lurch.A comparison between Asom and Tripura governments has already started among circles concerned as, unlike Asom, the rail project in the three militancy-affected hills of Tripura has been completed before its target schedule. According to sources, the first run of the locomotive evoked massive response at various stations, including Jironia, Mungiabari and Agartala. With the active support from the Tripura Government, M/S Shivam and Bharatiya Associates, the two contractor firms engaged in the project, have successfully completed the work of track linking before the target schedule despite militancy being a constant threat there, the sources added.It may be mentioned here that in his recent visit to Asom, PSCR chairman Basudev Acharya had blamed it on Dispur for its alleged neglect to the BG project between Silchar and Lumding. Acharya had suggested the Asom Government to follow the Tripura model to contain militancy in North Cachar Hills so that it could complete the BG project.The non-competition of the 201-km Silchar-Lumding BG Project on time is viewed as a negative point for Union Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohon Dev, an influential Parliamentarian from Silchar, in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. The Opposition parties in Silchar Parliamentary Constituency have been gearing up to compare the performance of Dev with that of Manik Sarkar, the Chief Minister of Tripura, with special reference to the rail projects.The CPI(M), in particular, has already taken up the issue of Lumding-Silchar BG project and initiated a signature campaign throughout Barak Valley as part of its campaign on the connectivity issue. source: sentinel assam