Both Indian and Bangladesh governments agreed to construct a 13-km Agartala-Akhaurah connecting rail line to improve cross-border communication  On the back of growing cooperation between India and Bangladesh, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee paid a 4-hour visit to Bangladesh last Saturday to witness the official signing of the US$1-billion loan that India has offered to its neighbour. The loan amount is likely to finance 14 infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, primarily related to develop railway connectivity. In addition, the amount will also be utilised to construct roads and bridges, purchase double-decker buses from India and build power gridline between the two nations, among others. In short, the loan will enhance communication between the two neighbours and facilitate bilateral trade.
By developing rail-road connectivity in the country, Dhaka intends to establish itself as a regional hub. On the other hand, this improvement in connectivity would facilitate India in transshipment of goods to its seven landlocked north eastern states through Bangladesh.
While claiming the terms and conditions of the loan to be ‘very favourable’, Mr Mukherjee told reporters that it is the one-time single largest credit package that India has offered to any nation.
Rail network extension
To improve railway connectivity between the two neighbours, both the governments agreed to construct a 13-km Agartala-Akhaurah connecting rail line during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 3-day visit to India in January 2010. Back in 1999, the survey for the connecting rail line was completed.
Of late, a team of IRCON[i] officials visited Dhaka to finalise the alignment of the aforementioned connecting rail line, said Vipin Jha, AGM[ii] of Northeast Frontier Railway. Once approved, the project will be sanctioned by the Railway Ministry, added Mr Jha.
Financed by India, around 5.4 km of the proposed railway link project falls in the Indian territory, while the rest is in Bangladesh. Located in west Tripura, Akhaurah is only 6 km from the newly-built Agartala railway station and Bangladesh has regular train services on its side up to Akhaurah.
According to a recent announcement by a railway official, India further plans to extend its railway network to Sabroom in southern Tripura and Akhaurah, thereby giving an impetus to the cross-border railway connectivity. Come March 2014, construction of railway connection till Sabroom is expected to be completed.
Jeeta Bandopadhyay
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