Agartala, March 19, 2026: On the fourth day of the ongoing Budget Session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury informed the House that the state government has already submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Railways for the construction of a new railway line connecting several towns which are not yet connected across the state.

Speaking in the Assembly, the minister said that on January 5, 2021, the State Transport Department submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Railways for the construction of a new railway line extending from Dharmanagar to Kailashahar–Kamalpur–Khowai–Mohanpur–Agartala–Sonamura–Belonia, covering a distance of 178.72 km. He further noted that the proposal process had begun earlier when the Secretary of the Transport Department had written to the General Manager of Northeast Frontier Railway, Maligaon, Assam, on July 24, 2017.

Chowdhury informed the House that in the meantime, the Northeast Frontier Railway has already completed the survey work for the proposed railway extension. Based on the findings of the survey, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) worth ₹3,356.5 crore has been prepared for the construction of a 170 km railway line. The DPR was forwarded by the Northeast Frontier Railway to the Railway Board on December 28, 2020, for financial sanction, and the proposal is currently under active consideration of the Railway Board under the Ministry of Railways.

During the discussion, a Congress MLA Roy raised a supplementary question and urged the Transport Minister to pursue the matter with the Centre so that the survey and related processes for the proposed railway line could be expedited.

CPI(M) MLA Nirmal Biswas also demanded improved railway connectivity in Khowai and Unakoti districts, while CPI(M) MLA Dipankar Sen called for connecting Sabroom with Humsafar Express and Garib Rath train services within one or two months.

Replying to the supplementary queries, the minister said that Chief Minister Manik Saha and the Transport Department are actively pursuing the demand for railway connectivity in Khowai and Unakoti districts raised by MLA Biswas. However, regarding the demand for introducing Humsafar Express and Garib Rath services to Sabroom within a specific timeframe, Chowdhury said that it would not be possible to give any assurance immediately.

He added that at present four DEMU trains are operating between Agartala and Sabroom, while a total of 13 express trains are running in the state. The government, he said, is focusing on bringing the areas that are still outside the railway map under railway connectivity in the coming days.