Agartala Railway

Agartala, Nov 01: The inauguration of the Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link Project is a significant step in strengthening the bond between India and Bangladesh, according to Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha. He emphasized that Tripura would become a tourism gateway due to this railway link, as it reduces the distance between Agartala and Kolkata from 1600 km to 500 km by rail.

The Chief Minister also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s HIRA Model (Highway, Internet, Railway, and Airway) would be implemented, and the foundation stone for redeveloping 508 railway stations, including 91 in the Northeast, has been laid, with three railway stations in Tripura set for redevelopment.

Dharmanagar, Kumarghat, and Kailashahar railway stations will be redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at approximately Rs 96.60 crore. Additionally, Agartala Railway station will be transformed into an international standard facility with an allocation of Rs 245 crore.

The Chief Minister highlighted the significant progress made in connectivity since 2014 when Prime Minister Modi started working on enhancing Northeast connectivity. Tripura now enjoys railway connectivity with the rest of India, with 19 trains operating, including 13 express trains, 5 DEMU trains, and one local train.

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The Agartala-Akhaura railway link, with a length of 12.24 km (5.46 km in Tripura and 6.76 km in Bangladesh), received a total sanction of Rs 972 crore. IRCON is responsible for the Indian portion, while TEXAMACO is working on the Bangladeshi side. This initiative is expected to strengthen the ties between India and Bangladesh further.

The Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link is a crucial infrastructure project that promotes bilateral trade and people-to-people connectivity between the two neighboring countries, bringing economic benefits and strengthening diplomatic relations.