Chief Minister of Tripura Dr. Manik Saha expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Hasina on behalf of the people of Tripura for the launch of the Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail link.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, alongside Dr. Manik Saha, officially inaugurated the Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday.
Addressing the media, Dr Saha described this event as a historic milestone for Tripura, with the Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link destined to leave an indelible mark in the region’s history. Dr. Saha emphasized that this new rail connection would position Tripura as a key gateway for both transportation and tourism. Additionally, the railway link is expected to significantly reduce the distance between Agartala and Kolkata, cutting it down from 1600 km to just 500 km by rail.
Dr. Saha also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s HIRA Model and the launch of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which includes the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country. Within the Northeast region, this initiative encompasses 91 railway stations, with three in Tripura set to receive an investment of approximately Rs 96.60 crores for their redevelopment, namely Dharmanagar, Kumarghat, and Udaipur.
Furthermore, the central government has outlined plans to elevate the Agartala Railway station to international standards, earmarking Rs 245 crore for this purpose.
Dr. Saha commended Prime Minister Modi’s dedication to improving connectivity in the Northeast, noting that significant progress has been made since 2014, with the introduction of 19 trains, including 13 express trains, 5 DEMU trains, and one local train. He expressed his gratitude to PM Modi and the Union Railway Minister for this achievement, which has effectively integrated Tripura into the larger Indian railway network.
The Agartala-Akhaura railway link spans a total length of 12.24 km, with 5.46 km located within Tripura and 6.76 km in Bangladesh. An overall budget of Rs 972 crore was allocated for this project, with Rs 580 crore designated for the Indian segment and Rs 392 crore for the Bangladeshi portion. IRCON is overseeing the Indian side, while TEXMACO is responsible for the Bangladesh side, fostering even stronger ties between the two nations.
