Soon Agartala-Mumbai railway services will start, Sushanta Chowdhury

Fulfilling the long cherished demand for Agartala-Mumbai direct passenger train services, soon Agartala railway station will be connected with Mumbai as Lokmanya Tilak-Kamakhya weekly Express has been extended up to Agartala.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat on Saturday afternoon, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury accompanied by secretary of Transport department UK Chama said that before the ensuing festivities of Durga Puja, the weekly Lokmanya Tilak-Kamakhya express will start its journey from Agartala railway station on every Thursday at morning 6 AM and after 55 hours of journey, the full air-conditioned (AC) train will reach Mumbai and again on every Sunday at morning 7.50 AM, the train will start its return journey from Mumbai to Agartala. The train on the way to Mumbai , will have stops in seven stations from Agartala to Guwahati including at Ambassa, Dharmanagar, Badarpur, New Haflong, Lumding, Hojai and Chaparmukh.

Under the able guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ministry of Railways one after one fulfilling the demands of state and  improving the  rail connectivity from Agartala to major and important cities of India, said Chowdhury and added that the Highways, Internet, Railways and Airways(HIRA) model of Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting its momentum by developing the connectivity.

Now, a total of 11 express trains are running from Agartala station and with induction of weekly Lokmanya Tilak-Kamakhya express, the passenger train number will reach 12 along with 5 local passenger trains, said Chowdhury.

Chowdhury said that with the introduction of Agartala-Mumbai passenger rail services, large numbers of patients and students from Tripura will get benefit and it will also boost tourism in the state.

He said that massive developmental drives have been taken to make Agartala railway station into a world class station and soon the escalator service in the station will be inaugurated. The Transport Minister also hoped that by completing all pending construction works, the Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) rail service will start functioning from December next.