Recently, with the trial run of the engine on the newly converted broad-gauge (BG) track of Agartala-Badarpur route has created a landmark in the history of Tripura.

Developing the transportation and connectivity in the landlocked Tripura of the Northeastern region is one of the top most priorities of the government. A lot of focus is being laid to enhance railway connectivity in the region.Finally the century old and the much awaited dream of the people of the landlocked state came true when the first broad gauge engine reached Agartala railway station. Thousands of people gathered at Agartala railway station to take a view of the first BG engine with joy and enthusiasm.

The long wait of Northeastern state of Tripura to have direct broad-gauge rail connectivity with rest of India might end by March this year. The railways are presently undertaking a project, what they call as ‘Mega Block’, to convert the state’s meter gauge rail track to broad gauge and it is expected to be completed by March 2016.

Agartala found place in the railway map of India in the year 2008 when a meter gauge line was extended from Kumarghat, also in Tripura, to Agartala. This gave the city 407 km direct meter-gauge rail connectivity with Lumding in central Assam. A daily express train ran between Lumding and Agartala. Lumding is an important railway junction of Assam and falls under Guwahati-Dibrugarh broad-gauge rail section.

Since October last year, meter-gauge train services between Lumding and Karimganj stations (distance 203 km) was stopped for undertaking ‘Mega Block’ of Lumding-Badarpur-Silchar section. The Lumding-Agartala express train too stopped its operations and a passenger train plied between Karimganj and Agartala till its services too was withdrawn in September this year for broad conversion of Badarpur-Karimganj-Agartala section. However, Tripura is on the way to create another history with the introduction of the BG passenger railway service in Tripura by March 2016.

If everything falls in the right place, it will be possible to run the passenger train by March 2016.

After the successful BG trial run of a diesel engine from upto Agartala, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is working hard to bring Tripura under the country’s Broad Gauge Network by March 2016. With the introduction of the BG facility one could return from Guwahati to Agartala, capital town of the landlocked State Tripura in eight hours.

The successful run of the trains on the broad-gauge track will bring sync with those in the rest of the country and Tripura is gearing up for faster connectivity and communication with several parts of the nation.

With the everyday progress in the conversion work, the common mass of the state is observing a ray of hope for faster communication and transportation.

With the successful run of the engine, the ballast train also made its roll at Dharmanagar Railway platform with 3 engines and more than 50 coaches. The ballast train was made to run on the newly converted BG track to check the liability of the tracks. Amidst cheers and enthusiasm, the engine and the ballast train marked its maiden journey on the newly converted BG track of the state. Tripura also witnessed the first trial run of a ballast train on the BG track as it rolled into the Badarpur-Agartala track.

Better connectivity will give a boost to the overall economic and social development in the Northeastern states. It will also enhance trade relationships and people to people contact within the country and with neighboring and ASEAN countries. The distinct advantage of having a broad gauge rail destination at Agartala is not only that it will serve as a railway junction for further expansion of network in the region but would, in the later stages, also help in supplementing the rail connection with neighboring countries, particularly Bangladesh.

The Indian railways are also in the process of laying a 15 km long rail track to connect Agartala with Akhaura in Bangladesh. This is with the objective to provide an alternative rail route for Northeast India to Kolkata via Bangladesh.

However, once the BG conversion work is ended successfully people can travel to other parts of the country from Agartala. Besides, the Agartala station is all set to receive a bee storming gathering of passengers following which another entry point would be constructed here in Agartala.