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Guwahati : In view of the ordeal faced by the passengers in the wake of disrupted rail link of North East Region with the rest of the country, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal requested Union Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu to restore train services with the region on a war footing.
Sonowal called Prabhu over phone on Tuesday morning and drew his attention of the harrowing time the rail passengers particularly from the North East have been going through following the snapped rail link in Katihar division and requested him to restore train services on a war footing.
The Assam CM also apprised the Railways Minister of the impending development of shortfall of essential commodities that the region might experience following prolonged disruption of rail traffic - both passenger and goods trains - and asked his intervention for early restoration of the damaged portion of the tracks washed away by the deluge.
Prabhu however, assured Sonowal that the Railways with its men and materials are on the toes, day in and day out to repair the damaged rail tracks and restore train services at the earliest.
Sonowal also talked to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to ensure smooth movement of goods laden trucks so that there is no scarcity of essential commodities in Assam and other parts of North East.
Gadkari assured the Chief Minister to all necessary measures in this regard.
Moreover, in view of the disrupted train services and following allegations that air tickets have experienced inordinate rise in fares, Sonowal also talked to Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha and requested him for his initiative for maintaining 'reasonable fare' of flights connecting the North East part of the country.
Later talking to newsmen at his official residence in New Delhi, Sonowal said that the entire State Government machinery is focussed on providing relief and rehabilitation to the flood affected people of the State.
He also told the presspersons that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting yesterday, asked the Chief Ministers to help the States affected by flood.
Expressing his deep gratitude to the Prime Minister for his love and affection to the people of Assam, Sonowal said that, Prime Minister Narendra Modiji has been closely monitoring the flood situation and helping the State in all possible ways to mitigate the sufferings of the flood affected people.
The Assam CM also informed that under Prime Minister's directive, a high level committee would be constituted for finding a comprehensive and lasting solution to the flood and erosion problems plaguing the State.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
