THE 12.24km link connecting Agartala, India, with Akhoura, Bangladesh, has reopened for the first time since the countries separated in 1947.
Bangladesh’s Khulna - Mongla port line, constructed at a cost of $US 388.9m with financial support from the Indian government by way of a concessional line of credit, has also opened.
The cross-border project was jointly inaugurated by Indian prime minister, Mr Narendra Modi, and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Ms Sheikh Hasina, on November 1. The link comprises a 6.78km dual 1676mm and 1000mm-gauge section in Bangladesh and a 5.46km broad-gauge section in the Indian state of Tripura, where an international immigration station has been built.
Two trains are already operating between India and Bangladesh: the Maitree Express connecting Kolkata with Dhaka, and the Bandhan Express that runs from Kolkata to Khulna. The new line via Bangladesh will reduce the distance by rail between Kolkata in India’s West Bengal with the country’s seven northeastern states from 1600km to 500km, cutting travel times by approximately 22 hours.
In anticipation of the completion of the project, Bangladesh’s government recently permitted the Indian government to move freight originating from Bangladesh’s Chattogram and Mongla ports to West Bengal and north to India's northeastern states.
Funding for the project to reopen the line was included in India's 2012-13 rail budget, increasing from the initial Rs 3.9bn ($US 46.8m) outlay to Rs 12.6bn. The funding was provided through India's Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the Ministry of External Affairs, with work monitored by Indian Railways’ (IR) Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). A test freight train operated to Tripura’s Nischintapur station on October 30.
Port line
The 65km Khulna - Mongla broad-gauge rail link has improved the connection with Mongla, the second largest port in Bangladesh.
The line is expected to boost trade in Khulna and Mongla in Bangladesh, while India, Nepal and Bhutan will also be able to access the port using the railway.
India's cross-border rail projects have experienced mix fortunes in recent times. In April, a 35km link between Jainagar, India, and Kurtha, Nepal, was opened by Modi. However, progress on the construction of the full 69.08km stretch to connect Jainagar with Bardibas, Nepal, has been slow.
Pending projects include the proposed 18.6km link connecting Jogbani, India, with Biratnagar, Nepal. A link connecting Kokrajhar in India with Gelephu in Bhutan has also been proposed.
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