A bridge to the sea

Enhanced bilateral engagement between India and Bangladesh holds much promises this year for direct access of the Northeast region to the sea routes. Near completion of the construction work of a 432-metre-long double lane small bridge over the river Feni in Tripura has taken the region's dream closer to reality. Estimated cost the bridge with approach roads on both sides is Rs.128 crore. The bridge will connect Sabroom in Tripura on Indian side and Ramgarh on Bangladesh side. The Feni river forms part of the international border between the two neighbouring countries. The Chittagong port in Bangladesh is only 72 km from Sabroom. The distance between Tripura's capital city Agartala and Sabroom via National Highway 8 (Extension) is about 120 km while Agartala is about 1600 km from Kolkata. Thus, the distance between Agartala and the Chittagong port through the bridge will be only 192 km which explains the huge significance of this small and vital bridge that has been built by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation. In July last year, India and Bangladesh successfully completed a trial run of a container ship from Kolkata port to Chittagong port for bringing consignments to the Northeast region through the Akhaura land port in Tripura.

The distance between Imphal and Kolkata is about 1500 km whereas distance between Imphal and Agartala is nearly one-third of this distance. Aizawl to Agartala is about 337 km while the road distance between the Mizoram's capital city and Kolkata is about 1500 km. The Ministry of Home Affairs has already sanctioned Rs 90.60 crore for acquisition of land in Sabroom for setting up of an Integrated Check Post to facilitate smooth movement of people and goods across the Feni river between the two countries. The nearest railhead on Bangladesh side is located about 32 km from Ramgarh while Sabroom railway station on Indian side is about 3 km from the approach of the Feni bridge. Apart from the construction of the bridge, India and Bangladesh also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate drawing of water from the Feni river for a water supply project in Sabroom town which will benefit about 7,000 population in the Indian town. Connectivity infrastructure already available on both sides and that are coming up should fire the imagination of local entrepreneurs in northeast region around the huge trade and commerce potential that will be unlocked for them after the bridge is formally opened by the two neighbouring countries in next few months. It will also help India diversify the export basket and put a range of products from the region including handicraft, textile items craved world over for their uniqueness, organic fruits and other horticultural produces like pineapple, passion fruits, cane and bamboo products, species, and various agricultural produce. The region's access to seaports in Bangladesh is also going to attract investors to stop looking the North-eastern states only as consumer states and markets of goods manufactured outside the region.

The states in the region should be able to showcase this potential to attract labour-intensive manufacturing industries to move into the region to take advantage of the access to the sea routes. This will generate employment and for large number of unemployed youths besides opening up new business opportunities the entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, the discourse around the access to Bangladesh ports through Tripura is often overshadowed by connectivity issues with Myanmar for enhanced engagement between India and ASEAN. Improving connectivity between the state capitals and other commercial towns in the region with Agartala will be crucial to harness the huge potential of easy access to Bangladesh ports. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council need to orient the regional planning in respect of infrastructure and connectivity to the access to Bangladesh ports through Tripura in addition to connectivity projects in the states bordering Myanmar. India, however, must remain alert that Bangladesh will be keen to allow its ports for access by the states in the Northeast region so long it benefits both the country. The region's access to seaports through erstwhile East Pakistan was snapped in 1965 following India-Pakistan war but the Feni bridge and other transborder connectivity projects through Tripura has rekindled the hopes of an early end to the landlocked situation. The Feni bridge is a strong reminder that apart from 'Looking and Acting East', 'Looking South' is equally important and all the more exciting for the landlocked northeast region. It is in this context Bangladesh occupies the most prominent place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Feni bridge is not a mega infrastructure project as compared to many mega connectivity projects in the North-eastern states. But the economic benefits from trade and commerce across this small border bridge will be unlimited, provided the region succeeds in leveraging the huge potential.