Agartala: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday flagged off two passenger trains, one of them connecting Tripura and Manipur for the first time.
Murmu flagged off two trains — Agartala-Khongsang Janshatabdi Express and Agartala-Kolkata Express – from Agartala , boosting connectivity in the region.
“President Droupadi Murmu flagged off Agartala-Khongsang Jan Shatabdi Express and Agartala-Kolkata Express from Agartala Railway station. The trains connecting Tripura to Assam, West Bengal and Manipur will boost connectivity and tourism in the North East region,” a tweet from the President’s office said.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Union minister Pratima Bhoumik and state transport minister Pranajit Singha Roy were among those present at the programme at Agartala railway station.
The Janshatabdi Express will cover a distance of 600 km in six hours from the Tripura capital to Khongsang in Manipur via Jiribam.
NF Railway spokesperson Sabyasachi De said, “The Jan Shatabdi Express will operate thrice a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — via Jiribam (Manipur) and one of its coaches is a Vistadome.”
Currently, it takes 15 hours to reach Jiribam in Manipur from Agartala by road.
The other express train, which so far ran between Kolkata and Guwahati, will now ply till Agartala, thus connecting the three cities via rail link.
The 14-coach special express will run once a week, De said.