Union Minister Rajen Gohain Monday laid the foundation stone of a refurbishing facility of LHB coaches here and expressed hope that the new factory will provide direct and indirect employment to people in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Railways said more and more ancillary industries will also come up in the area and will provide employment to the people.
The commissioning of the Bogibeel Bridge, introduction of various long distance trains, commissioning of new lines were major achievement of the railways in the northeast, he said.
Gohain also informed that the Centre has already approved electrification of entire 2,348 km track length of NF Railway including all branch lines in the Union Budget at a cost of Rs 4,435 crore.
Stating work of double line is already in progress in New Bongaigaon to Kamakhya via Goalpara section, the minister said another BG line to Kamakhya from New Bongaigaon via Rangiya with a bridge over Brahmaputra near the existing Saraighat Bridge is also on hand.
The factory will be be built at an estimated cost of Rs 106 crore and will have the capacity to refurbish about 120 Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches every year, NF Railway General Manager Sanjive Roy said.
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The shop will also have 4 buildings of 3500 square metre of built-up area housing various sections like Electrical Section, Mechanical Section, and Civil works other development facilities like scrap yard apart from provision of modern and environmental friendly State-of-the-Art facilities, Roy said.
NF Railway has plan to replace coaches of long distance trains from this region with LHB coaches to provide better safety and comfort to passengers, he said.