NFR gears up for north Bengal infrastructure: Hospital site chosen, track electrification nears completion
Union Minister Barla visits potential sites, track inspection confirms progress
In order to prepare for two significant infrastructure projects in north Bengal, senior officials from the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) visited several locations in the districts of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar.
A crew went to inspect the status of the track electrification along the train link connecting Bangladesh at Raninagar, Jalpaiguri, and Haldibari.
A second delegation, which included Union minister of state for minority affairs John Barla, went to two locations in Alipurduar to choose the property for the 200-bed hospital that the town would get from the central government.
The majority of the railway tracks in north Bengal are now electrified. Nevertheless, there is still a 31-kilometer section that passes through Jalpaiguri Town and connects Raninagar-Jalpaiguri and Haldibari without electricity. The road enters Bangladesh from Haldibari.
"The railroads' electrification is nearly complete. In seven to ten days, electric locos are anticipated to operate along the length. The whole route was examined today (Friday) to assess the status of the construction, according to Surendra Kumar, the NFR's Katihar divisional railway manager.
Currently, local passenger trains, the Haldibari-Calcutta Express, and Darjeeling Mail are hauled by diesel locomotives along the 31km route.
Additionally, a diesel locomotive pulls the Mitali Express, which travels between New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka Cantonment. According to a source, the Mitali Express would be pulled by electric locomotives until it reaches the border at Haldibari, at which point it will be driven by Bangladesh Railway's diesel engines all the way to Dhaka and back.
The crew went to two potential locations in Alipurduar for the planned super-speciality hospital. While the second location is close to the Officers' Colony at Alipurduar Junction, the first is close to the divisional railway hospital.
Following the visit, Barla, the local MP, and railway officials made suggestions that the new hospital would be built on the nearby site.
It is anticipated that the hospital's cornerstone will be placed in January. The construction of the 200-bed hospital would cost Rs 200 crore. The hospital would mostly serve the people who live in the Alipurduar district's outlying districts and in tea gardens, he added.
