<br/>The Assam Chief Minister, Mr. Tarun Gogoi Tarun Gogoi has requested visiting Union minister of state for railways, Mr. E. Ahmed to speed up the construction of the gauge conversion of the Silchar-Lumding national railway project passing through the trouble torn North Cachar Hills district. The situation in the district has improved following the mass surrender of the Jewel group of Dima Halam Daoga extremists, Mr. Gogoi said while talking to Union Minister of State for Railways E Ahmed, when the latter called on him at his official residence in Guwahati on Tuesday. According to official sources, the Chief Minister also called for immediate operationalising the new rail track laid between Chaulkhowa and Moranhat in Upper Assam and stress on realigning the proposed Azara-Byrnihat railway line.<br/><br/> The union minister informed the Assam Chief Minister that the Railways have enhanced its allocation for the North East Frontier Railway this year to Rs 1, 124 crore. This is more that the allocation it had made for the North East Frontier Railway last year, he said. He also apprised the Chief Minister that the Railways have been developing a new model colony for its staff at Pandu in Guwahati city.<br/><br/> The union Railway minister also held a meeting with senior railway officials at the NF Railway headquarters in Pandu on Tuesday and reviewed the performance, including the ongoing projects.