All Assam Rail Passengers' Association demands revival and preservation of historic railway line

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Rail Passengers' Association has demanded the revival and preservation of the historic Dibru-Sadiya-Dangari railway line. The Dibru-Sadiya-Dangari railway line was built in the 1870s to transport tea, oil and coal. The Dibru-Sadiya Railway was one of the pioneering railway companies in British India and the first railway service in Northeast India. This metre-gauge railway was owned by Assam Railways and Trading Company (AR&TC). The first section of the line opened in 1882. The first railway junction in Assam was Makum Junction on the railway line that opened in 1884. It was taken over by the Government of India in 1945 and today forms a part of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The railway network was converted to broad gauge in the 1990s.

Talking to The Sentinel, All Assam Rail Passengers' Association general secretary Dipankar Sarma said that NFR must submit a proposal to the Ministry of Railways for revival and preservation of the historic Dibru-Sadiya-Dangari railway line. "A total of six railway stations in this railway line have been non-functional for the past few years - Bara Hapjan, Hanhsora, Dumduma, Rupai, Talap and Dandari railway stations. Although a Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train was in service for some time a few years back, the same was closed down. At present, the six stations are completely closed," he said.

Sarma further said, "Besides the All Assam Rail Passengers' Association, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and other organizations have been demanding the revival of this railway line. However, Northeast Frontier Railway seems to have turned a deaf ear to our demands. Unless steps are taken for the revival and preservation of this railway line, this historic section of Indian Railways will be wiped out from the railway map of the country altogether."

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