Business
PM Modi Likely To Launch New Trains Linking Aizawl With Delhi, Kolkata And Guwahati
Guwahati/Aizawl: After the expected inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang new railway project on September 13 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Railways is set to introduce three pairs of new train services connecting the Mizoram capital Aizawl with the national capital, Guwahati and Kolkata, officials said on Thursday.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that Indian Railways is pleased to announce the introduction of three new pairs of train services from the newly built Sairang station in Aizawl.
A senior Mizoram government official said that the Prime Minister accompanied by state Chief Minister Lalduhoma and a few Central Ministers would flag off the three new trains after the inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang new railway project on Saturday.
The NFR CPRO said that these trains would greatly enhance rail connectivity between the state capital of Mizoram with important destinations across the country.
The inaugural runs of all three pairs of trains will take place on September 13 (Saturday), followed by the commencement of regular services on the notified dates.
The three trains are Sairang-Anand Vihar (Delhi) Rajdhani Express (weekly), Kolkata-Sairang-Kolkata Express (tri-weekly) and Guwahati-Sairang-Guwahati Express (daily).
The Sairang-Anand Vihar Rajdhani Express will run via Badarpur junction, Guwahati, New Jalpaiguri, Malda Town, Bhagalpur during its journeys while the Sairang-Kolkata Express (tri-weekly) trains will run via Badarpur junction, Guwahati, Goalpara Town, Golakganj, New Jalpaiguri, Malda Town to reach its destinations in Kolkata.
The details of stoppages and timings of these trains are available at IRCTC website and are also being notified in social media platforms of Northeast Frontier Railway, Sharma said and requested the passengers to verify the details before undertaking their journey.
The 51.38 km Bairabi (near Assam’s Hailakandi district)-Sairang (near Aizawl city) railway project will make Aizawl the fourth capital city in the Northeast region to be connected by railways after Guwahati, Agartala and Itanagar.
Senior officials of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), led by General Manager (Construction) Arun Kumar Chaudhary, are making hectic preparations to give final touches to the railway project and arrangements for the inauguration.
Union Ministers and senior officials of several ministries, including the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Tribal Affairs, Road Transport and Highways, would be present at the events.
The NFR CPRO earlier said that the 51.38-km-long Bairabi-Sairang new line railway project is considered an engineering marvel of Indian Railways, built at an estimated cost of Rs 8,071 crore.
The project consists of 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges and 87 minor bridges and includes tunnels with a total length of 12,853 metres, with the longest tunnel (Tunnel No. 3) spanning about two km.
The height of bridge number 196 is 114 metres, which is 42 metres taller than the Qutub Minar, the CPRO added.
The project also includes five Road Over Bridges and six Road Under Bridges. This new line project also includes construction of four new stations — Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang and Sairang.
Despite the challenging terrain, the NFR has accomplished remarkable work in extending rail connectivity to Aizawl, overcoming significant geographical and engineering hurdles to make this long-awaited project a reality, CPRO Sharma said.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on September 9 held a meeting with senior officials to review preparations for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Bairabi–Sairang new railway project on September 13.
An official of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Prime Minister would also likely address a public gathering at the Assam Rifles ground on September 13 and the public meeting would be organised in connection with the inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang new railway project.
However, the Prime Minister’s final schedule of Mizoram visit has not yet been announced by the PMO.
From Aizawl, the Prime Minister is likely to visit Manipur capital Imphal and tribal inhabited Churachandpur and address the gatherings in both the places.
Security and other necessary arrangements are in full swing both in Imphal and Churachandpur.
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Rain clouds rolled over Maharashtra’s onion belt. Then came war winds from West Asia. Prices collapsed. Crops rotted. Farmers counted losses in rupees — and sold tears by the quintal. Across Nashik, Solapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, onion growers are reaping a bitter harvest this season as wholesale prices at agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) have crashed far below production costs.Prakash Galadhar, a farmer hailing from Paithan taluka in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, hauled 1,262kg of onions he had harvested to market last week. After deductions for labour, loading and transport, his final balance showed he owed the trader Re 1.In Satana APMC of Nashik district, farmer Jitendra Solanke brought 30 quintals hoping to recover at least part of his investment. Traders first offered Rs 50 a quintal. After he protested, rate climbed to Rs 175 a quintal — Rs 1.75 a kg.Still, numbers refused to add up. “I spent Rs 1,200 per quintal to grow crop. After sale, labour and transport charges, only Rs 500 remained. The loss mounted to Rs 36,000,” Solanke said.Inputs have become expensive — seeds, fertilisers, diesel, mechanised farming and labour costs have all risen sharply — while market prices have sunk into mud.“We sell onions at Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg while production cost is over Rs 12,” said Bhausaheb Jagtap, a farmer from Pune district. “After paying everybody, nothing is left,” Jagtap said.Prices have been sliding since Feb this year. At Lasalgaon APMC in Nashik — country’s largest onion wholesale market and benchmark for national rates — the kitchen staple is currently selling between Rs 400 and Rs 1,600 a quintal. Nearly 80% of arrivals fetch less than Rs 800 a quintal.In Solapur APMC, arrivals on May 13 touched 14,756 quintals. Prices ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 1,700 a quintal, or Rs 1 to Rs 17 a kg. A year ago, onions sold there for Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 a quintal.Growers said break-even price stands near Rs 18 a kg. “Losses are massive because nearly 80% of onions are selling between Rs 400 and Rs 800 per quintal,” said Bharat Dighole, president of Maharashtra Onion Growers’ Association.Market experts blamed a perfect storm: bumper arrivals, weak domestic demand, export disruptions and rain-damaged produce flooding mandis.“Geopolitical tensions involving Iran, US and Israel disrupted export markets and reduced overseas demand,” said Vikas Singh, vice president of Horticulture Produce Exporters’ Association of India.Unseasonal rain between March 19 and 21 added another blow to the farmers. Showers lashed Nashik district just as summer onion harvest began, damaging ready crop and triggering rot during storage. “Only 30% of produce was grade-1 quality,” said Prakash Jadhav, head of onion department at Solapur APMC. “Rain damage and long storage hurt quality.”Farmers are demanding onions be brought under minimum support price, pegging at Rs 3,500 a quintal. Growers’ groups want Maharashtra govt to compensate farmers by Rs 1,500 a quintal for distress sales.(Inputs from Prasad Joshi)
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