69-year long dream of the people of the landlocked state came true on Tuesday when the first broad gauge engine arrived at Dharmanagar Railway Station.
Thousands of people were seen waiting for long hours, right from the morning to welcome the BG engine along with the NFR team.
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"It is the first time that broad gauge engine has arrived here today at around 2.30 p.m. and I along with other arrived here at around 10 a.m. and since then many people of Dharmanagar have arrived here to express they joy and feeling. They welcomed the train along with the driver.....We hope that very shortly passenger train will start service," said S K Paul, a local who have been waiting for several hours along with family members to witness the arriving first broad gauge train engine.
It took around 97 days to take a BG railhead to Tripura, which is also a record, according to NFR sources.
On September 20, the state bid adieu to meter gauge rail engine to pave the way for undertaking BG conversion work.
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S Das, Station Manager of Dharmanagar rail station said, "Actually our dream has come true and the project has crossed its first step. The first BG engine rolling has completed on date up to Dharmanagar from Badarpur and it will continue up to Agartala on this phase. Later on it will go up to Agartala and the rolling will be completed."
According to NFR sources, the journey appeared successful as far laying of BG track. After running the BG railhead, the NFR is scheduled to bring ballast train to Agartala passing through all stations by first week of next month.
If the ballast train journey appears okay, then the NFR will conduct CRS inspection on the newly built BG rail track for safety clearance followed by the final run of the BG passenger train by after March 31 next.