Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday flagged off the Northeast’s first Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train and announced that the state is set to start a Vande Bharat service soon. He said the expansion of rail infrastructure would significantly boost connectivity, trade, and travel in the region.
Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony, Dr. Saha said he had recently met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to request improved train services for Tripura.
“A few days ago I met the Union Railway Minister and urged him to provide better trains. I had initially asked for a DEMU service, but he informed me that Tripura would be getting something new. Today we are flagging off the MEMU train,” he said.
He noted that this is the first MEMU train in the Northeast Railway zone to originate from Agartala Railway Station. “If everything goes as planned, a Vande Bharat service will also be introduced from here very soon,” he added.
Calling the launch a historic milestone, the Chief Minister said the introduction of electric train services marks a major achievement for the state. He credited the “double-engine government” for strengthening last-mile rail connectivity.
He also highlighted upcoming infrastructure developments, stating that the Maitri Setu over the Feni River will soon be operational, along with the Agartala-Akhaura rail link. “These projects will ensure affordable and efficient transport for people within and outside the state,” he said.
Dr. Saha added that Tripura is being developed as a gateway for trade and travel, noting that 271 km of electrified railway line has been completed in 2026. He said several long-distance trains, including the Tejas, Lokmanya Tilak, and Tripura Sundari Express, along with inter-city services, are already operational to enhance connectivity.
Recalling the state’s railway development, he said rail connectivity reached Dharmanagar in 1964 and Kumarghat in 1990. He noted that railway expansion in the Northeast gained national project status during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leading to Agartala’s metre-gauge extension in 2008.
He further said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, metre-gauge tracks were converted into broad gauge, significantly improving rail connectivity and services.
The Chief Minister also said he has raised the issue of a double railway line with the Centre. “The survey has been completed and the DPR is being prepared. The process is underway, and I hope it will be implemented soon,” he said.
Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, and officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway’s Lumding Division attended the event. Dr. Saha flagged off the MEMU train after the ceremony.