The inauguration new railway line connecting Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala in India on November 01 being planned the trial run of the ambitious rail link is making significant progress. Prime Ministers of both India and Bangladesh, Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina, are expected to jointly inaugurate the railway project, marking a milestone in regional connectivity.
A Bangladeshi goods train, loaded with four wagons of goods, successfully entered Indian territory in Tripura as part of the trial run. The train journeyed one kilometer into Tripura from the India-Bangladesh border, stopping at Nischintpur railway station. Railway officials have confirmed the trial operation’s success on the newly constructed 15.064-km long Akhaura-Agartala rail link.
The project includes a 5.05-kilometer stretch in India and a 10.014-kilometer section in Bangladesh, with the two countries linked through the international immigration station at Nischintapur in western Tripura. The Agartala-Akhaura railway is a dual gauge station that caters to both passenger and goods interchange between India and Bangladesh. This new rail link will significantly reduce travel time for people in the northeastern states, particularly Tripura, southern Assam, and Mizoram, making it more convenient to travel to Kolkata by rail, saving up to 22 hours of travel time.
The project is a part of India’s ‘Act East Policy,’ which aims to enhance economic cooperation and build strategic relationships with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The northeastern region has been given priority under this policy.
Currently, travelers from Tripura and its surrounding areas have to take a long route to reach Kolkata via Guwahati, a journey that takes more than 38 hours. The new railway line will facilitate easier and more efficient transportation for both goods and passengers, contributing to increased economic and cultural ties between India and Bangladesh.
The Agartala-Akhaura railway line is the first rail link connecting India’s northeastern states to Bangladesh, and it is a significant step towards enhancing regional connectivity. It’s important to note that there are already a few railway links between West Bengal and Bangladesh, including Gede-Darshana, Benapole-Petrapole, Singhabad-Rohanpur, Radhikapur-Birol, and Haldibari-Chilahati.
This project has been jointly funded by India and is a testament to the growing cooperation between the two countries. It will not only boost trade and commerce but also strengthen people-to-people ties in the region.
