National
Railway Ministry inaugurates landmark Silchar-Lumding broad gauge rail line in Assam
Union Railways Ministry has inaugurated the landmark Silchar-Lumding broad gauge rail line in Assam.
It was inaugurated by Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu by flagging off a passenger train from New Delhi via video-conference.
Key facts
• Silchar-Lumding broad gauge rail line brings Assam’s underdeveloped but strategically important Barak Valley on the broad gauge map.
• The broad gauge line is also a milestone for connectivity in the northeast region and one of the largest gauge conversion projects of Indian Railways.
• The line has 75 major bridges and 340 minor bridges along the track. It passes through 21 tunnels. The entire project cost was around 3, 500 crore rupees.
• It would play an important role in accelerating development in Barak Valley of Assam and other Northeastern states like Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram as it would act as lifeline.
Background
The Lumding-Silchar Gauge Conversion Project was sanctioned by Government of India in 1996-97 under the Northeast Frontier Railway. The strategic project was declared as a National Project in 2004. The project was hit by insurgency from 2006 to 2009 but later the Territorial Army was deployed to take on the insurgents.
Harshavardhan Neotia elected as President of FICCI
Harshavardhan Neotia has been elected as the President of industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
He shall have one year term as President i.e. for the year 2016 and presently is serving as Vice President (VP) of FICCI.
He will succeed incumbent FICCI President Jyotsna Suri during the chamber’s AGM in December 2015. Jyotsna Suri is chairperson and Managing Director of Bharat Hotels Ltd.
About Harshavardhan Neotia
• Harshavardhan Neotia is the Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group which covers wide spectrum of the Real Estate industry including housing, health care, hospitality and education.
• Presently, he is also a member of West Bengal Chief Minister’s Core Committee on Industry and the Rajasthan Chief Minister’s Advisory Council.
• Government of India has conferred Padma Shri on him for his outstanding initiative in social housing.
About Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• FICCI is the largest and oldest apex business organization in India. It is a non-governmental and non-profit organization.
• Establish: 1927
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Mission: To enhance efficiency and global competitiveness of Indian industry. To expand business opportunities both in domestic and foreign markets through a range of specialized services and global linkages.
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