Jorhat, Sept. 6: Union minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain today said construction of a flyover in this Upper Assam town would start shortly with railways already sanctioning funds for the project.

"The project's implementation was delayed because the previous state government did not release 50 per cent of the project cost. The present state government has assured to sanction the funds shortly. Since the railways has already sanctioned its 50 per cent share of the funds, construction should start in a few months," Gohain, who is on his first visit to Upper Assam after taking charge as minister of state in July, said.

The flyover at Na-Ali over the railway crossing will be the second such flyover in Upper Assam after Dibrugarh. The minister said survey and other necessary formalities for the project were completed long ago and had the previous state government sanctioned the money, work would have started. "Now it will not take more than five months for work to start."

The railways has also decided to construct tracks inside the FCI godown at Cinnamara, on the outskirts of the town, to reduce traffic snarls caused by frequent plying of goods trains in the town. "The goods trains will ply inside the FCI godowns at Cinnamara directly without entering the town," the minister said.

Gohain said two more trains, one plying between Jorhat and Guwahati and the other between Jorhat and Alipurduar, would be introduced soon for the benefit of the people of this town. The railways will also reconstruct the overbridge inside Gibbon wildlife sanctuary in Jorhat district as the existing one is defective. "The overbridge will ensure easy movement of gibbons from one forest to the other over the railways track which cuts through the sanctuary," he said.

The minister said the railways has taken up a project to upgrade infrastructure at a few railways stations in the state, including the one here. An international-standard station will be constructed at Agiathulria in Kamrup district. He said safety of passengers, improving amenities and expansion of rail connectivity in the region would be top priorities for him.

"Improving railway connectivity in the region is not an easy task since a large part of the region has hilly terrain but our government has taken up the task to improve connectivity to all the states in the region by 2020. Itanagar, Agartala and Guwahati are now connected by trains and projects to connect the other capitals are in different phases of execution," he added.

The railways has also decided to work out a special recruitment package for youths in the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and the Naxal-affected areas of the country. "We have held discussions and will hold further parleys to work out a package," the minister said, replying to a query on youths from the Northeast being neglected in recruitment for the railways.

The ministry has allocated Rs 7,000 crore this fiscal for development in the Northeast, he added. Gohain said unmanned railway crossings, which have become a major concern because of accidents, would be removed from the state within the next five years.