Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw addresses the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit in Guwahati on February 25. (Photo Courtesy: @PIB_Guwahati/X)
Maligaon, February 25 (MExN): Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit in Guwahati on February 25 and announced several new initiatives and projects.
According to a press release from the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the initiatives and projects were related to the Railway and IT industries, with a huge boost to development in Assam.
Stating that the Northeast is the 'New Engine' of Development for India, Vaishnaw informed that a new mega railway workshop will be established in Basbari, Bodoland, fulfilling a key commitment under the Bodoland Agreement.
A dedicated mid-life reconstruction facility for locomotives will also be set up in Lumding to enhance railway operations and maintenance, he added.
The Minister further informed that the Guwahati Railway Station is undergoing a major transformation into a world-class facility, incorporating a 12-storey IT park to foster technological innovation and employment.
Assam will also see the introduction of two Amrit Bharat Trains within the next 10 months, along with two new intercity train services connecting Guwahati to Silchar and Agartala, he added.
Vaishnaw also informed that the strategic Chicken Neck corridor will undergo ‘quadrupling work’ to enhance railway connectivity and operational efficiency.
The Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway project will establish a vital railway link between India and Bhutan, facilitating trade and connectivity, he added.
Six new Gati Shakti terminals have been sanctioned to optimise freight movement and logistics efficiency across the region, he said.
The Railway Minister also announced that the IT and electronics sectors are set to receive a major boost, with plans for a new semiconductor hub in Assam to promote self-reliance in semiconductor manufacturing.
An advanced electronics manufacturing hub will be developed in Kamrup district, he added.
Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with senior ministers of Assam and NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of NFR (Construction) Arun Kumar Chaudhary, and other senior railway officials, were also present at the event.
