The time limit for completion of the Agartala-Akhaura railway line to connect Agartala with Kolkata via Bangladesh has been extended until June 2023, said Transport Minister of Tripura Sushanta Chowdhury after inspecting the project works and holding detailed discussions with the stakeholders on Sunday.
The Transport Minister said construction works for Nishchintapur Railway Station on the Indian side of the Agartala-Akhaura railway line have already been completed.
Giving details of facilities and amenities in the Nishchintapur Railway Station, Chowdhury said, “The station has been built incorporating all modern facilities”.
He continued and added, “Passenger seating arrangements, entertainment facilities, food court, immigration counter, ATM and many other amenities available at a modern railway station have been included in the construction of Nishchintapur Railway Station”.
Moreover, a rail yard is also being built next to the Nishchintapur station for loading and unloading goods containers brought by train from Chittagong Port in Bangladesh. After that, these goods can be transported by road and train to various places in the northeast, Chowdhury said.
“Once the project becomes operational, rail connectivity will be established between Kolkata and Agartala via Bangladesh”, the Minister said.
He also said that rail connectivity would create new avenues for business and commerce between the neighboring countries. A new corridor for the Trans-Asian Railway Network and sub-regional connectivity would also be established. As a result, the friendly relations between India and Bangladesh will be further strengthened.
During the visit, the Minister was accompanied by Minarani Sarkar, the MLA of the 14-Badarghat constituency, Utpal Kumar Chakma, the secretary of the transportation department, Subrata Choudhury, the additional secretary, and engineers from Indian Railway Construction Limited (IRCON) engaged in railway construction.
The India-Bangladesh railway connectivity project will reduce travel time and distance between Dhaka, Agartala, and Kolkata. When the project is completed, it will take 10 hours instead of 31 hours, and the distance will be reduced from 1,600 kilometers to 550 kilometers.
