The Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved allocation of eight bighas of land on the outskirts of Guwahati to the NF Railways department for laying double tracks, one for each direction of train travel.

While addressing the presser today, Assam cabinet minister Jayanta Mallabaruah stated that the railway department needed land in Guwahati for laying a double track coming towards Assam.

"The Assam cabinet today sanctioned eight bighas of government land to the Railways for the double-track line to Azara-Kamakhya section via Goalpara. Of this, seven bighas fall under the Jalukbari mouza and the remaining one bigha land falls under the Chakardoi mouza," said Mallabaruah.

He further said that this would to smoothen the process of double tracking and enhance railway connectivity to Guwahati, the cabinet minister added.

The move is expected to increase the capacity of the railway network in the region and also generate employment opportunities for the youth.

Notably in August, the railway department along with the district administration cleared out 20 bighas of government land from illegal encroachment. The eviction drive was carried out in Jalukbari area to remove settlers allegedly practicing suspicious activities.