India is all set to expand its railway network with Bangladesh in an attempt to enhance the connectivity between the 2 countries. The addition of 2 places to the railway network along the India-Bangladesh border includes Sabroom in southern Tripura, 135 km from Agartala, and Akhaurah in western Tripura, just 6 km from the Agartala railway station. Bangladesh currently operates regular train services up to Akhaurah and various other places, just opposite several sub-divisional towns in Tripura.
"A team of officials of IRCON (Indian Railway Construction Company) have recently visited Dhaka and held talks with Bangladesh government and railway ministry officials to finalise alignment of the 13-km Agartala-Akhaurah connecting rail line," Northeast Frontier Railway additional general manager Vipin Jha said .
Of the 13-km proposed link railway line to connect with the Bangladesh railway network through Akhaurah railway station, 5.4 km falls in Indian Territory and the remaining portion in Bangladesh.
Once the alignment is approved, the railway ministry would sanction the project. The construction of the proposed Akhaurah-Agartala railway link, financed by India, was agreed during the 3 -day visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in January. Meanwhile, the ongoing works of railway connection upto Sabroom would be completed by March 2014.
