By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
Bangladesh is building a second cross-border railway link with India through Akhaura-Agartala frontier in a bid to boost bilateral trade and businesses, officials said.
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has undertaken a 4.8bn taka project for laying nearly 10km Akhaura-Agartala dual-gauge railway track to connect with the India’s northeastern states, they said.
“If the cross-border railway link between Bangladesh and India is set up, it will be the second effective railway corridor of the two neighbouring countries,” said a senior railway ministry official.
He said they had already got assurance from India of necessary funds for the railway project. The Indian government is expected to provide
nearly 4.23b taka as grant.
A senior Indian High Commission official in Dhaka said that they are considering funding of the Akhaura-Agartala railway project.
“We have sought some information from the BR. We are discussing with our Bangladesh counterpart to finalise the
financing,” the official said.
After five decades of discontinuation of the cross-border train service, the first railway link between Dhaka and Kolkata was reopened in April 2008 through Darshana point in Bangladesh and Gede in India.
Now passengers can easily move from Dhaka to Kolkata (375km) using the Maitree Express every week. The train has capacity to carry 650
passengers daily.
A senior railway ministry official said, “They are ready to start the project soon after getting funding confirmation from the Indian side. We have already sent a project proposal to the planning commission.”
A planning commission (PC) official, however, said the project would not be approved until the BR confirms the funding by the Indian government.
“The project evaluation committee (PEC) of the PC has taken it into consideration. But the BR has to finalise the fund deal with India first to get approval from the commission,” he said.
Officials said India is keen to set up the Akhaura-Agartala railway link to establish a cross-border link mainly to be used to carry goods from the Chittagong port to India’s northeastern seven-sister states.
Besides, the distance from west India to northeast India will be reduced remarkably if the proposed railway line is opened.
The distance between Kolkata and Agartala is 1,700 km. If the railway link is established, the distance would be reduced to 350km if passengers from here could move through
Bangladesh.
The official said: “The proposed train through the Akhaura-Agartala frontier would carry freight first as India wants to use the Chittagong port for its freight trades. Gradually, the route will also be used for
passenger services.”
Currently, Bangladesh and India have also cross-border bus services through three frontiers: Dhaka-Kolkata via Benapole border, Dhaka-Shiliguri via Burimari customs point and Dhaka-Agartala via Akhaura customs points.
