Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday announced a Rs 5,000 crore joint venture with the Assam government.The joint venture also includes a plan to construct elevated tracks between New Guwahati station and Kamakhya to eliminate 12 level crossing gates in Guwahati city.Besides, he also announced a slew of steps for rapid and wide scale development of rail connectivity in the northeastern region.The minister made the announcement while laying the foundation stone for the project of doubling of railway line from New Bongaigaon to Kamakhya via Goalpara Town and the doubling of railway line from Digaru to Hojai at a function held at the RPF Parade Ground at the Northeast Frontier Railway headquarters at Maligaon in the city.
He also laid the foundation stone for the much-demanded railway electrification project for Raninagar Jalpaiguri - Guwahati via Rangiya railway line and flagged off the first passenger train service on the 10 km Karimganj - Maishashan newly converted broad gauge section in Barak valley of Assam."Construction of the elevated tracks connecting Kamakhya and New Guwahati would decongest city roads, free up railway land and enable railways to develop Guwahati station as a commercial hub," Prabhu said adding that the new projects would keep provisions for connectivity with the proposed metro.While thanking the Railway Minister for his initiatives in the development of the rail network in the northeast, Assam Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal emphasised on speedy completion of all railway projects in the state. He also requested the Railway Minister to take up construction of railway lines so that every district headquarters of the state is connected to the railways. The Chief Minister also requested Prabhu to initiate steps involving the railways for skill development of the youth of the region.