Tripura News Desk: Akhaura-Agartala dual gauge railway will be inaugurated on September 9, creating new trade potentials between Bangladesh and India.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to inaugurate the Akhaura-Agartala railway line virtually on September 9.
The Bangladesh section of the Akhaura-Agartala dual gauge railway is 6.78 kilometers while the total length is 12.24 kilometers, project sources said.
The project stakeholders are making preparations to inaugurate the Akhaura-Agartala railway.
As part of the preparation, a Bangladesh Railway delegation visited the project work last Saturday (September 1). It was led by Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Railways Md Yashin.
The import-export trade between the two countries will begin by rail through the Akhaura-Agartala dual gauge railway.
Experimental track cars have been running on the railway for a few days ahead of the inauguration since August 22 and tracks cars have been successfully run throughout the Bangladesh section of this railway.
Railway lines have been installed in the entire section. There is a great deal of excitement about this initiative in both nations. It is anticipated that this networking endeavor would fundamentally alter both Bangladesh and India.
Implementation of this project, goods will go from Chittagong Port and the capital to the other states in the north-eastern region of India by road as well as by rail. As a consequence, trade will grow in these nations, and it will be easier and quicker to carry products, cutting the cost of doing business. Bangladesh Railway has completed necessary preparations for this purpose, sources said.
Talking to the concerned people, it is known that in July 2018, the construction work started on the 12.24-km long railway line from Akhaura in Brahmanbaria to Nishchintpur of Agartala in India.
The 6.78 km of railway line is in the Bangladesh part. Indian contractor Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited is doing this work. Although the project work was supposed to be completed within one and a half years, the contracting company could not complete it within the stipulated time due to various crises including the corona epidemic.
The cost of construction of 6.78 kilometers of railway in Bangladesh is estimated to be around Taka 241 crore. This railway will directly connect Bangladesh with North-East India. As a result, Bangladeshi businessmen hope that trade will increase in the states of North-East India.
The laying of railway lines on the entire Bangladesh part of the Akhaura-Agartala dual gauge railway project has been completed. Besides, all 16 bridges and culverts of the project have been completed. And the construction of the immigration and customs building is 95 percent completed.
The Akhaura-Agartala railway will reduce the distance between Kolkata and Agartala by about 1100 km. First, goods trains will run on this railway. Passenger trains will start later.
Azizul Haque, president of Brahmanbaria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that transportation of goods by rail is much safer and cost-effective. It is expected that the import-export trade between the two countries will increase significantly if the Akhaura-Agartala railway is opened. When import costs are lower, products can be delivered at lower prices to the consumers.
Bhaskar Bakshi, project manager of the contractor company Texmaco Rail and Engineering Limited, said that 95 percent of the construction work of the project buildings has been completed. The finishing work of this railway is now going on in full swing ahead of the possible opening day.
Abu Jafar Mia, project director, Bangladesh part of Akhaura-Agartala dual gauge railway project, said that 95 percent work of the project has been completed. All the railway works up to Agartala in India have been completed.
During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in 2010, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries regarding the construction of this railway.
