In some good news for the people of the North-East, the first train engine reached Khongsang station in Manipur on Monday. The engine under the Jiribam-Imphal Railway line project is yet another attempt to improve the railway connectivity for the people of the North-Eastern region. Many had gathered at the station and the people were seen expressing their joy and excitement with the traditional dance.
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra took to Twitter and thanked the PM for the new engine. “Congratulations to Manipur! A new engine has reached the state with a “double engine” Government already in place. The people of Khongsang, Manipur welcomed the railway connectivity with their traditional dance. Thank You Hon. PM Sh @narendramodi Ji and Sh @AshwiniVaishnaw Ji,” Patra wrote on Twitter.
Manipur CM N Biren Singh also took to the micro-blogging site to share the news. “In yet another milestone, happy to share that an engine has reached Khongsang Railway Station today. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, the impetus given to improve connectivity in Manipur will immensely boost the economy of the State @PMOIndia,” Singh wrote on Twitter.
From flagging off the first passenger train to Meghalaya from Assam in 2014, railway connectivity in the North-East has certainly got a boost since then. In the last few years, the Centre has given great emphasis on the execution of infrastructure and safety projects in the North-Eastern region. The first Janshatabdi express train connecting the northeastern states of Manipur and Tripura via Assam was also flagged off this year. With the introduction of the Jiribam – Agartala – Jiribam Express, the long-standing demand of the people of Manipur, Tripura and South Assam was fulfilled. There was no direct train between Manipur and Tripura and there was only one train for commuting in the morning hours between Agartala and Silchar. Now, the Janshatabdi Express train service provides direct rail connectivity to the people of Manipur going to the state of Tripura and vice versa.
