Dimapur, July 9 (MExN): Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Khekiho Zhimomi today pressed the centre to expedite railway works proposed for Nagaland. Among the number of issues he presented to the parliament was hastening the railway network that was assured to connect Kohima.
“The former railway minister Laluji had given a solemn assurance to the people of this country that rail heads would be established at all the state capitals. Although some survey work in this regard has been carried out some time last year, no headway has been made since then and the matter is dragging indefinitely,” Zhimomi said in his speech. He has requested the Union Railway minister to undertake the project “on top priority.”
Zhimomi then raised matter about establishing a new railway line in Dimapur: the Dimapur-Niuland and Tizu town via Tuli paper mill route, with a link to Samulguri Railway station in Assam. “This rail link will serve not only the area and its population but will also facilitate transportation of coal extracted from the Borjan Coal fields, Naganmara (sic),” the MP explained. Currently, Zhimomi said, coal is transported by road which is not only time-consuming but also not cost-effective. For this reason, constructing the said railway line is vital “from social and economic viewpoints,” he said. The Railways minister is urged to ‘explore the feasibility of this project.’ The MP further sought allocation of a bigger quota of seats for Dimapur railway station. He cited as an instance, the Rajdhani Express which runs between New Delhi and Dibrugarh via Dimapur.
“The degree of negligence of Dimapur railway station which serves two states is reflected from the allotment of Dimapur seat quota… Dimapur has only two berths in first AC, 18 in second AC and forty-eight berths in third AC which is too insufficient for meeting the growing demands of the people of two states,” the MP informed the Parliament. Further, the Rajdhani Express halts at Dimapur station only for five minutes which, Zhimomi said, must be extended to 20 minutes. With these points, he has requested the Railway minister to increase the quota for Dimapur railway station.
