Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday flagged off the Northeast’s first Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train service between Agartala and Karimganj, giving further boost to the railway connectivity between Assam and Tripura.
The new MEMU train, with a seating capacity of 3,600 passengers, has been equipped with CCTV cameras and GPS tracking systems to enhance passenger safety and travel comfort.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Agartala, Saha thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for strengthening railway infrastructure in the frontier state.
Describing the launch as the first MEMU service in the Northeast, the Chief Minister said it would improve regional connectivity by linking Agartala with Karimganj.
Saha also highlighted the expansion of Tripura’s railway network up to Sabroom, the state’s southernmost subdivision. He said Sabroom is expected to emerge as a gateway to Bangladesh once the Maitri Setu becomes operational, connecting it with Ramgarh.
He added that the Agartala–Akhaura railway link is also expected to become operational soon, enabling seamless travel between India and Bangladesh.
Saha flagged off the new train service in the presence of Transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury, MP Rajya sabha Rajib Bhattacharjee, MLA Mina Rani Sarkar and others.
The Chief Minister said that Tripura for the first time saw arrival of a train in 1964. The train had arrived at Dharmanagar from Kalkalighat of Assam. Later, the service was extended up to Kumarghat in 1990.
With the sincere efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, broad-gauge train service commenced and several trains have been introduced over the past few years, strengthening Tripura’s rail network, he said.