Agartala-Akhaura rail link to be completed by September: Minister

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Apr 22, 2023

Agartala, Apr 22(FD) The much awaited 15 km long Agartala-Akhaura rail through Gangasagar in Brahmanbaria district of neighboring Bangladesh will be completed by September, Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said.

He said union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed him about the development during his recent visit to Delhi.

“During my recent visit to Delhi, I took up the matter with the Railway Minister and discussed the Indo-Bangla railway connectivity project from Agartala to Akhaura via Gangasagar and he said that the entire project would be completed by September. He also stated that Rs. 150 crore would be released by the ministry for completion of work on the Indian side", Chowdhury told reporters here.

The Agartala-Akhaura rail project is being funded by the government of India. When the ministry of DoNER is funding the Indian side the ministry of External Affairs is funding the Bangladesh side and the implementing authority on both sides is IRCON.

Chowdhury said Kishan Reddy who visited Tripura recently held a meeting with IRCON officials to review the progress of the Indo-Bangla railway link. More than 85 percent of the work on the Indian side has been completed and around 75 per cent of work has been finished on the Bangladesh side.

The transport minister said, after completion of the Agartala-Akhaura rail link, the entire north eastern region would be connected with the Bangladesh railway to facilitate trade and commerce between the two countries.

Chowdhury said another DPR is being prepared for a 30 km long railway track for Belonia, a border town and headquarters of South Tripura district to connect Feni district of the neighboring country. FD JK