Bangladesh, India to revive railways snapped after India-Pakistan wars
Tribune Desk
Published at 04:47 PM November 07, 2017
Railway station during rush hour in Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Bigstock
The regional connectivity will cut down time and distance, and benefit trade and businesses between nations
The railway lines, which were severed after the partition between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1947 and wars in 1965 and 1971, will be restored by Bangladesh with India at 12 locations to enable stronger bilateral ties, said Bangladesh’s Railways Minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque, reports the
Hindustan Times.
He said: “This is with a view to improving people-to-people contact and boosting bilateral trade,” during his visit to Agartala for a two-day programme Setubandhan or bridge of bonding.
The railway tracks, which survived the wars, remained abandoned after India converted the meter gauge lines to broad gauge.
According to the Hindustan Times, the railway connectivity issue was discussed between India and Bangladesh, during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, in 2015.
India’s former railways minister Suresh Prabhu and Bangladesh’s Minister laid the project’s foundation stone on July 31, 2016.
Also Read: South Asian regional connectivity projects hit by delays in India
Tripura’s Transport Minister Manik Dey said: “Dhaka asked India to conduct a survey of all the missing rail links between the two countries.”
So far among the 12 old links, land acquisition for the route linking Tripura’s capital Agartala to Akhaura in Bangladesh on the Indian side has been completed. The project will include laying a total of 15km of track in both countries, and is estimated to cost around Tk1,241 crore, which is scheduled to be completed by December 2018.
The Agartala-Akhaura railway line would cut down journey time and distance from 1,613km to only 514km, further facilitate carrying of goods and products to and from between the countries and benefit businessmen from both nations.
Tripura was connected with Bangladesh more than 50 years ago, which included Belonia-Feni Bangladesh, Khowai-Akhaura via Balla in Bangladesh, and Amarpur to Bhairab Bazaar. Assam was also connected through lines between Karimgank and Mahishasan, all the way to Chittagong.
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