Dimapur, August 2 (MExN): Five Dimapur based organizations have submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu requesting up-gradation of Dimapur Railway Station from two to four roofed platforms and shifting of present Goods Yard to Rangapahar Crossing area (RXRX) to make way for the proposed up-gradation. Presidents of the five organizations – Naga Council Dimapur, Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, Business Association of Nagas, Dimapur Naga Students’ Union – in the memo pointed out that the Dimapur Railway Station is the second highest revenue earner in the Northeast/NFR after Guwahati. The station carters to passengers from not only Nagaland state, but Manipur as well. It is also a major transit point for thousands, if not lakhs of military and paramilitary personnel stationed in Nagaland and Manipur every year, thereby putting a strain on the station's limited resources, the memo highlighted. It further lamented that the Dimapur Railway Station, which is the lone railway station in Nagaland state established in 1903, has been neglected for more than a century since its establishment; it has only 2 platforms with few basic amenities. The organizations also mentioned that on September 11, 2011, the then Union Railways Minister, Dinesh Trivedi on his maiden visit to Dimapur assured that the existing two roofed platforms will be upgraded to four. “However, the demand being genuine for reasons unknown, it is yet to be materialized.”
