07 Nov, 2023
The Agartala-Akhaura rail link stands as a momentous infrastructure undertaking poised to revolutionize travel between Agartala and Kolkata. This transformation translates a once-daunting 31-hour journey into a mere 10-hour trip, a shift that holds great promise for both regions. The railway project covers a total span of 12.24 kilometers, with 5.46 kilometers on the Indian side within Tripura and 6.78 kilometers in Akhaura upa-zilla in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district. Commencing in Agartala, the rail journey progresses to Nischintapur, marking the Indian-Bangladesh border, where immigration checks will be conducted. The first station on the Bangladeshi side is Gangasagar, with hopes of future expansion to connect Dhaka and Kolkata, thereby enriching tourism, trade, and interpersonal interactions between India and Bangladesh.
For the landlocked state of Tripura, this connectivity project holds immense practical significance. Dr. Manik Saha, the Chief Minister of Tripura, emphasized the project's vital role in enhancing connectivity in the Northeastern region during the inaugural event. Saha highlighted how this project would transform Tripura into a key gateway for tourism and transportation between India and Bangladesh. He also noted that this milestone would be a pivotal moment in the history of Indo-Bangladesh relations. The Agartala-Akhaura railway project is set to significantly reduce the distance between Agartala and Kolkata, effectively cutting the travel distance from 1600 kilometers to just 500 kilometers.
Beyond its practical significance, the connectivity with Bangladesh also carries deep emotional weight for Tripura. The state shares an 856-kilometer international border with Bangladesh, which is the second-longest border after West Bengal. Tripura is entirely surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, with Assam bordering it on the fourth. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and the creation of Bangladesh, Tripura, a state with a population of only 1.4 million at the time, provided refuge to nearly 1.5 million East Pakistani refugees and hosted at least eight major muktijoddha (liberation warrior) training camps. With the new connectivity project in place, it is hoped that people on both sides can look forward to even closer and smoother ties, further strengthening the historical and cultural bonds between the two regions.
The Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under Indian Railways, spearheaded the project's implementation on the Indian side. The work on the Bangladesh side was carried out by Texmaco, a private Indian company. An area of 86.85 acres was acquired for the project on the Indian side and subsequently handed over to IRCON. While originally slated for completion in 2020, the project faced delays primarily due to challenges related to land acquisition and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring at least three deadline extensions to reach its current stage of development.
In terms of funding, the Agartala-Akhaura rail project was initially outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2013, commencing with an initial budget of Rs 972.52 crore in 2016. This allocation included Rs 580 crore for the Indian segment and Rs 392.52 crore for the Bangladesh section. However, due to cost escalation and other related expenses, the budget underwent two subsequent revisions. The final estimated cost for the project stands at Rs 1,255.10 crore, with Rs 862.58 crore designated for work on the Indian side. Notably, India is funding the entire project, with the Ministry for Development of North East Region (DoNER) funding the Indian side and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) providing financial support for the Bangladesh portion under the category of 'Aid to Bangladesh.'
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