Guwahati, May 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually inaugurated the redeveloped 138-year-old Haibargaon railway station in central Assam’s Nagaon district as part of a national programme involving the inauguration of 103 redeveloped railway stations in 86 districts across the country.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials said that Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, Assam Revenue Minister Keshab Mahanta and other important personalities were present at the inaugural function.

Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), the 103 stations, redeveloped at a cost of around Rs 1,100 crore, are located in 86 districts and include major and minor stations across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the NFR Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said Haibargaon station in central Assam’s Nagaon becomes the first railway station in the northeastern state among 50 stations identified in the state for redevelopment under the ABSS.

“Thursday was be a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the northeast region. This event stands out as a landmark in the national rollout of the ABSS as Haibargaon is the first redeveloped railway station out of 50 stations identified in Assam, to be inaugurated under this ambitious scheme,” the CPRO said.

The Haibargaon, originally built in 1887, was reconstructed at a project cost of approximately Rs 15.85 crore, signalling the beginning of a new chapter for rail infrastructure in the region.

The redevelopment of Haibargaon station is symbolic not only of technological and architectural upliftment but also of the government’s intent to bring the northeast region of India into the fold of rapid national development, he pointed out.

Sharma said that the selection of Haibargaon as the first station to be inaugurated under ABSS in Assam reflects its strategic importance and the successful execution of the project with a clear vision for passenger-centric modernisation.

With its upgraded amenities, improved accessibility and cultural aesthetics, the station sets a benchmark for the 49 other stations in Assam lined up for redevelopment, he said.

The CPRO said that as the Prime Minister inaugurated this gateway to a modern rail experience, Haibargaon emerged not just as a station but as a symbol of progress, pride and promise for the people of Assam and the northeast region.

–IANS

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