Bangladesh approves Agartala-Akhaura rail project

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, Aug 17: The Indo-Bangla Railway project to connect Agartala with Akhaura has crossed its last hurdle when the executive committee of the tiol Economic Council of Bangladesh  headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi approved the project in its meeting held in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Five km of the total of 15 km project falls in Indian side and the rest 10 km falls in Bangladesh for  which an expenditure of Rs 478 crore is estimated. Out of the total expenditure India will bear Rs 421  crore while the rest 57 crore will be borne by Bangladesh.

AHM Mustafa Kamal, Minister for Planning, Bangladesh told the reporters at Dhaka that as per the agreement the Bangladesh will execute their part of the project under Engineering, Procurement and Construction basis with technical and fincial help from India.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and his Bangladesh counterpart Mazibul Hoque had laid the foundation  stone of the project at Agartala on July 31 last. Total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 968 crore and the Indian government have agreed to bear the entire cost.  Starting from Agartala the line will cross Indian border at Nischindpur and will merge with Bangladesh railway network at Ganga Sagar station of the Akhaura- Chittagong line. From there a line parallel to the existing line will go up to Akhaura junction.

Once constructed the line will be connected with the Trans Asian Railway Net work and will facilitate  transportation of passenger and goods across the region.  It also shortens the distance between Agartala  and Kolkata. Agartala-Akhaura railway project was first figured in an agreement signed when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi met the then Prime Minister Manmohon Singh at Delhi in 2010. Prime Minister rendra Modi during his visit to Dhaka in June last year assured to bear the entire cost that helps to expedite the project.