DIMAPUR — President of the North East India Welfare Association Chennai (NEIWAC) and pastor of Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai (NCF Chennai), Wapangtoshi, on February 23 submitted a letter to Tamil Nadu Governor, RN Ravi, at Raj Bhavan in Chennai urging his intervention in reaching out to the Railway Ministry in the matter of reinstating the Chennai region origin train service with a stoppage at Dimapur railway station.
The letter was submitted considering immense difficulty faced by the people from Northeast India, particularly those from Nagaland, Manipur and some parts of Assam living in and around Chennai in traveling back to their hometowns and for those coming to Chennai for essential purposes, which was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wapangtoshi stated that before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a direct train service originating from Chennai that had a stoppage at Dimapur railway station, which played a crucial role in connecting the people from Northeast India to Chennai and benefited a large number of individuals. He, however, stated that the discontinuation of the service has caused immense difficulty for the people traveling back to their hometowns and for those coming to Chennai for essential purposes.
According to him, the current travel options are either extremely time-consuming or involve a considerable increase in travel expenses. He informed that the letter highlighted the need for the restoration of train service to ease the travel burden on the Northeast Indian community residing in and around Chennai as well as Northeast people in general.
He further stated that reinstatement of the service would not only benefit the Northeast community but also strengthen the bond between the people of Tamil Nadu and Northeast India, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and harmonious society.