GANGTOK, :A delegation of the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways visited Darjeeling as part of
their official tour on April 17.
During the visit, the committee
held a series of informal discussions with senior officials of Northeast
Frontier Railway (NFR) and its associated organizations on issues relating to
railway development and tourism promotion in the region, informs a NFR press
release.
As part of the visit,
discussions were held with Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, the General Manager of
Northeast Frontier Railway, and the Chairman & Managing Director of IRCON
International Limited, on the subject "Expansion of Rail Network in North
East and Union Territories," with a special emphasis on the Sivok – Rangpo
new railway line project.
The vital rail link aims to
enhance connectivity to Sikkim and is considered crucial for the socio-economic
and strategic development of the region.
Further, the committee engaged
in a separate informal interaction with the general manager of the Northeast
Frontier Railway and the chairman & managing director of IRCTC on the topic
"Promotion of Railway-Based Tourism." The discussions focused on
initiatives to harness the region’s tourism potential through innovative
rail-based experiences and sustainable heritage tourism.
During the visit, the committee
also toured the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, to assess ongoing efforts in preservation, modernization, and promotion
of heritage railway tourism.
During the meeting, Northeast
Frontier Railway reiterated its commitment to the advancement of railway
infrastructure and tourism in the North Eastern Region and Union Territories,
recognizing their importance in fostering inclusive growth and national
integration, the release mentions.
