Guwahati, Aug. 25 -- The forced diversion of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's IndiGo flight from Dibrugarh to Guwahati due to severe thunderstorms, making it unsafe to land in Guwahati on Sunday night, has once again brought into focus the urgent need for high-speed rail connectivity in Assam and the Northeast.

The flight later resumed safely.

Sarma was attending a day-long programme at Margherita in Tinsukia district of Upper Assam, around 570 kilometres from the state capital, Guwahati, a journey that would take just 1 hour and 18 minutes by bullet train. The nearest airport is in the neighbouring district of Dibrugarh, at Mohanbari.

The Chief Minister could have completed the 570-kilometre journey between Tinsukia and Guwa...