Dhubri, Feb. 13: The Assam-Bengal railway link was brought back on track after 60 long years when the Dhubri-New Jalpaiguri Inter City Express train was inaugurated on the newly constructed railway route on Saturday.
Dhubri residents frequently used the railway link to reach not only Calcutta but also Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh for trade and commerce. The railway network between Assam and Bengal from Dhubri was severed after the Partition in 1947.
However, till 1951, Assam Line used to run between Dhubri and Calcutta but from 1952, the train services were stopped through Bangladesh to other parts of Bengal.
A prominent resident and writer of Dhubri, Subrata Kumar Bose, while recollecting his journey on this route said they had to change trains twice after boarding from Dhubri station — first at Golokganj Junction in Dhubri and second at Parbotipur station in Bangladesh.
“We had to change trains at Parbotipur station because the broad gauge line started from there. I took my last journey on this route to Calcutta in 1948 when I was only seven years old with my family,” Bose said.
A retired bank manger of Dhubri, Partho Pradip Dutta, said, “The restoration of the rail link between Assam and Bengal from Dhubri after a gap of 60 years will bring a sea change in the life of people of this part of Assam, as travelling to Bengal from New Coochbehar had been a very tedious and time consuming.”
Dutta also said residents were looking forward to the reopening of Dhubri river port and Rupshi Airport soon. Revival of these two more modes of communication will help in the economic development of the district.
A retired teacher of Golkganj town, Promod Ranjan Roy, said it was the duty of the new generation to keep up this pace of progress and prosperity, as communication plays a pivotal role in the development.
Hundreds of members belonging to Dhubri Bikash Aru Pragati Manch led by its chief convener Shyamal Sanyal and president Suchibrata Singha Choudhury greeted the drivers and guards of Dhubri-New Jalpaiguri Inter City Express with phulam gamocha on Saturday.
