Act East policy has changed the face of northeast: Tripura CM Manik Saha

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday claimed that the Act East policy of the Modi government has changed the face of Northeast as the region has witnessed a much needed connectivity boost over the past few years.

The people of Tripura could not dream that the rail would reach Sabroom, the state's southern-most border town through Agartala when a metre gauge railway station was opened at Dharmanagar in North district in the 1960s, he said.

"Now, it is a reality with trains running between Agartala and Sabroom everyday that too broad gauge. Currently, 10 to 12 express trains are coming to Agartala. This has been possible because of visionary leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi", he said at Agartala railway station as the prime minister virtually laid foundation stone for for redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country including three in Tripura.

"The Act East policy has changed the face of the Northeast as the region witnessed a much needed connectivity boost since 2014. The chief ministers of Northeastern states during their conclave said now the Northeast has become part of India in true sense", he said.

Saha said the day is not far when the people of landlocked Tripura will be able to reach Kolkata in 10 hours with the railways working on war footing to complete Indo-Bangla (Agartala-Gangasagar) railway. The Indo-Bangla railway link is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year.

Under the Amrit Bharat Stations project, as many as 91 stations of the northeast will be redeveloped with modern facilities, he said, adding Rs 96.60 crore will be spent to face-lift three railway stations in Tripura - Udaipur, Dharmanagar and Kumarghat.

Claiming that the people of northeastern state are receiving the benefit of having a double engine government, Saha thanked the prime minister and Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw for incorporating three railway stations of Tripura into the Amrit Bharat Station project.