The survey for the second Indo-Bangla railway link between the Belonia subdivision of the South Tripura district in the Indian state of Tripura and Feni in Bangladesh has been completed, reports ANI.
The proposed rail track is 30 kilometres long, whose construction is expected to end by the next financial year. Once completed, many believe, it will further boost bilateral trade.
Tripura Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy informed the State Assembly on Tuesday that the survey of the project alongside two others has been finished.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, the federal railway minister, is expected to visit the state on Friday to inspect the ongoing projects including the Indo-Bangla one, when he may inaugurate some new projects, said Singha.
Other than that, the construction of Nischintapur Railway Yard which will connect Tripura with Akhaura in Bangladesh is nearing an end. “About 98% of the work is completed and 75 % of work for Sabroom Railway Yard has also been complete”, he said.
“The construction of 12.30 kilometres long Agartala-Akhaura in Bangladesh railway link that aims to increase passenger and freight engine movement between these two locations will be completed shortly”, the minister concluded.
The Bangladesh government in August 2016 approved the Akhaura-Agartala dual-gauge railway link project to improve rail connectivity and boost trade between Bangladesh and India.
The people of Belonia in Tripura had access to Feni, Chittagong and Dhaka via rail since the era of pre-independent India. However, this connectivity was snapped owing to the losses incurredin 1997, disheartening the people of Belonia.
The distance between the Belonia Railway Station (India) and the Belonia Railway Station (Bangladesh) is 2.75 km. The Belonia Station of Bangladesh is situated in the Parshuram upazila in Feni and, the Bangladeshi portion of Belonia is located 165 kms away from the Indo-Bangla border.
