Railways opens new lines, train services in Arunachal and Jharkhand

The Railways on Thursday opened a new line connecting Naharlagun near Arunachal capital Itanagar with Harmuti in Assam, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off an air-conditioned express train between Naharlagun and New Delhi and an inter-city train between Naharlagun and Guwahati.

Dedicating the new projects to the nation, the prime minister emphasised the need for better connectivity, the lack of which was the biggest reason for under-development in the North East. He said the new projects would contribute to improving connectivity.

The prime minister also inaugurated a water supply scheme for Itanagar and laid the foundation stone of a 132 KV transmission line.

He also spoke about the immense hydropower potential of Arunachal Pradesh. Highlighting the state's hydropower potential, he said Arunachal Pradesh could provide electricity to the entire country.

Modi also dedicated to the nation the Koderma-Hazaribag railway line in Jharkhand, and flagged off of DEMU train service between Hazaribag and Koderma.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said his government was working towards modernization and improved service delivery in the Indian Railways.

The prime minister thanked the farmers in Jharkhand who had given land for the railway project, and said they had made a huge contribution for future generations. He said Indian Railways was not just a means of transport, but could become the backbone of the Indian economy.

He said Jharkhand should focus on rail and road connectivity for its mineral wealth, in order to boost its prosperity. He urged the people of Jharkhand to provide full support to the construction of railways and roads in the state.

The prime minister referred to the Supreme Court's decision in September 2014 cancelling allocation of 204 coal blocks. He also referred to the CAG's observations in this regard. He said 40 of these blocks are in Jharkhand.

He said within four months of the Supreme Court's decision, auction of coal blocks had begun, adding that the auction of 15 coal blocks so far had yielded Rs75,000 crore.

The prime minister reiterated his commitment that he would not tolerate corruption. He said the poor need to be provided with opportunities to defeat poverty.