Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan requests Union Railway Minister to resume local trains in Assam

DISPUR: Journalist-turned-Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan yesterday wrote a missive to Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to resume local train services in Assam. The service has been halted after the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and even though various economic activities have been resumed, the resumption of the local train service remains a distant dream for the citizens of Assam.

"I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that the train service in the country has remained suspended for about eight months due to COVID-19," Bhuyan wrote to the Minister. "It is a fact that immense hardship was faced by the public in general and regular rail passengers in particular due to the non-availability of passenger trains."

Bhuyan added that after the withdrawal of Lockdown, local train services including short distances services have been resumed in several states.

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Terming it as "a wise step taken by the government that contributes to returning normalcy in day-to-day activities", he further pointed out that during the period of lockdown, most of the employees were seriously affected as they have to travel daily to their workplaces in towns and cities and return home in the evening.

"Besides employees, farmers, petty traders, and vendors who sell their products in urban areas on daily basis are also in trouble," he added.

Bhuyan further added that due to the non-restoration of local train services, the biggest sufferers are the economically weaker section of the society, students, and patients in Assam like any other parts of the country.

"So, resumption of local train services is a dire necessity for such people as their daily livelihood depends on it."

"Under these circumstances, you are earnestly requested to take the necessary steps for the resumption of local train services in Assam at an early date," he added in his note to the Union Minister.

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