Protestors demand urgent action on Chandranathpur-Guwahati rail link
They raised concerns over poor connectivity in Barak Valley & recurring disruptions in the existing hill section
Silchar, July 13: Amid the growing concerns over poor connectivity in the Barak Valley, the Silchar-Lumding Broad Gauge Rupayan Sangram Committee staged a protest demonstration at the Silchar Railway Station on Saturday.
The group demanded urgent action on the construction of the long-pending alternative railway line from Lanka to Silchar via Chandranathpur to Guwahati, citing the recurring disruptions in the existing hill section.
Members of the committee demanded immediate release of the survey report, preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR), and initiation of construction within this year.
“We must get some concrete measures to put an end to the recurring disruptions which forces the Barak Valley region to remain disconnected from the rest of the country for days during each monsoon. Even after the claimed advancements, our communication services are still plagued by natural calamities. Amidst the circumstance, we demand that the alternate rail route via Chandranathpur is the need of the hour,” the protesters echoed.
Interestingly, during the protest, the agitators recalled the role of the Committee in driving home the broad-gauge railway line to Silchar. Terming this to be a people’s protest from 2009-2025 which saw the broad-gauge train services whistle from Silchar, members of the committee alleged that the BJP is boasting of doing the work and taking the credits for connecting the broad-gauge to Silchar.
Meanwhile, the protest saw some tense moments later in the afternoon when some agitators were taken on preventive detention by police after a commotion surfaced when a few agitators attempted to sneak inside the railway station for submitting a memorandum with their demands to the Silchar rail station superintendent.
However, the railway officials at the Silchar station were seen receiving the memorandum with assurances of conveying the issue to the higher authorities.
“We are tired of speeches and assurances. If our voices remain ignored, we’ll be forced to intensify our democratic agitation,” the committee maintained.