GUWAHATI: The Assam Rail Passengers Association (ARPA), on Thursday, May 14, urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene in the long-pending demand for establishing a full-fledged passenger terminal at Agyathuri (AGT) railway station near Guwahati.
In a memorandum, the association said the proposed terminal would help decongest the heavily burdened railway infrastructure at Guwahati and Kamakhya stations while significantly improving rail connectivity for passengers from North Guwahati and adjoining areas.
The memorandum, signed by ARPA General Secretary Dipankar Sharma, stated that both Guwahati (GHY) and Kamakhya (KYQ) railway stations are currently operating beyond their capacity, resulting in delays in the arrival and departure of trains. According to the association, pit lines at the stations remain perpetually occupied, severely affecting train movement.
Highlighting the growing congestion, the association cited the example of the 15647 Mumbai-Guwahati LTT Express, which reportedly takes nearly three hours to cover the 48-kilometre stretch between Rangia and Guwahati. ARPA noted that the same distance can now be travelled by road in nearly one hour following the completion of the new bridge connecting North Guwahati.
The association argued that a dedicated passenger terminal at Agyathuri would ease pressure on the Guwahati and Kamakhya railway stations and reduce travel time for long-distance trains.
ARPA further stated that the proposed terminal would greatly benefit passengers from North Guwahati, Changsari, Amingaon, Hajo, Sualkuchi, Mangaldoi, Kharupetia and surrounding areas by offering improved connectivity to long-distance trains. It added that local commuter trains could continue operating through Guwahati city while long-distance trains could be managed more efficiently from Agyathuri.
The association also claimed that the project could act as a catalyst for economic and urban growth in North Guwahati, Changsari and Amingaon.
Seeking the chief minister’s intervention, ARPA appealed to the state government to take up the matter with the Ministry of Railways and the Northeast Frontier Railway, describing the proposed terminal as a major step towards modernising railway infrastructure and reducing congestion in Guwahati.