NAHARLAGUN, 19 Dec: Chief Minister Pema Khandu flagged off the inaugural run of a new train, named Vistadome Express, which will ply between Naharlagun and Tinsukia (Assam), from the railway station here on Sunday morning.
Union MoS for Railways Darshana Jardosh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the ceremony virtually from Guwahati.
Another train – the Vistadome-attached Naharlagun-Guwahati Shatabdi Express – was flagged off by the MoS from Guwahati.
The Naharlagun-Tinsukia Vistadome Express will run five days a week, except on Tuesdays and Fridays, from Naharlagun, and except on Mondays and Thursdays from Tinsukia. Regular service of the train will commence from 21 December.
On the other hand, the Shatabdi Special with a Vistadome coach will start its regular service from 20 December from Naharlagun. The train will leave Naharlagun every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Likewise, it will leave for Naharlagun from Guwahati every Monday, Thursday and Sunday.
Vistadome is a state-of-the-art coach, designed to provide passengers with travel comfort and enhanced viewing experience of their surroundings. Its features include wide, transparent windows and glass rooftop, besides 180 degrees rotatable seats and pushback chairs.
Speaking on the occasion, Khandu expressed gratitude to the central government, especially the railways ministry, for introducing the Vistadome service for Arunachal Pradesh.
“The Northeast is already a hot destination for tourists from across the country and the world. Now these state-of-the-art Vistadome coaches will add to the attraction and tourist footfalls will increase, which in turn will boost the economy of the state,” the CM said.
He informed the MoS that surveys for several new railway routes connecting Arunachal are in various stages. These routes are Murkongselek to Pasighat, which will go on to Tezu, Rupai and Lekhapani, connecting Margherita and Deomali, the strategic Misamari to the Tawang route, and the one connecting North Lakhimpur with Silapathar up to Bame (Leparada).
“Once these routes are complete and made functional, Arunachal Pradesh will witness a sea change in terms of transportation,” Khandu said.
He said that the agri-horti farmers of Arunachal are not in a position to produce in surplus due to lack of markets, which he said “is a direct offshoot of transportation bottleneck.”
The CM expressed hope that, once railway connectivity reaches the interiors of the state, there would be a boom in the rural economy.
Khandu requested the MoS and the top officials of the railways ministry to convert the existing Naharlagun-New Delhi train service to Rajdhani Express.
“This is the demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, not singularly mine,” he said.
The CM also requested the Railways to expedite the construction of the Borum bridge to connect Borum with Naharlagun. “Soon, the four-lane construction will begin in Naharlagun and Nirjuli and the said bridge will greatly help ease traffic congestion during that period,” he said.
Also present at the flagging-off ceremony were local legislator Techi Kaso and IMC Mayor Tame Phassang. (CM’s PR Cell)
