Mamata unveils new railway infrastructure plan for North Bengal

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee today unveiled plans for new railway infrastructure in Balurghat ahead of the assembly elections.

Banerjee laid the foundation stones for new railway lines between Balurghat and Hili on the Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur district to improve connectivity between north and south Bengal.

She said the programme at Hili was a tribute to Victory Day being celebrated today in Bangladesh, which was liberated in 1971.

"I have been invited to attend the celebrations in Bangladesh which will continue till December 20," Banerjee said, but did not say whether she would attend.

The 29km long Balurghat-Hili project would cost Rs256.30 crore, she said.

She also laid the foundation stone for a Rs223.38 crore project for a new 33km Buniadpur-Kaliaganj line and the Rs80.55 crore new Gajole-Itahar line.

Banerjee inaugurated new passenger reservation systems at Ghum and Sukna in Darjeeling district through remote control.

PRS systems were inaugurated through remote for Jalpaiguri Road, Salbari, Samuktala Road and Old Malda stations in different districts of North Bengal.

The railway minister also inaugurated a DEMU train service from Balurghat to Katihar in Bihar via Malda station.