Railways ministry to send high level team to speed-up India-Bangla rail project

AGARTALA: To push India-Bangla rail extension project, Railways ministry would be sending a high level team to expedite the process soon.

The decision of sending the Railway Ministry team to have a first-hand knowledge about the proposed rail project was taken at a meeting of NITI Aayog held in Delhi on June 18, said Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik.

NITI Aayog in the meeting decided to implement the railway extension project from Agartala to Gangasagar (Bangladesh) by 2017.

"It was decided that Agartala-Gangasagar (Bangladesh) would be completed by 2017 but it was not clarified when the work for the dream railway extension work will begin," Bhowmik said.

Bhowmik said of the total 5 km proposed railway project in Indian side, altogether 2.5 km rail link would be overhead while the remaining part would be laid on the land. This would reduce the estimated expenditure for land acquisition to connect Agartala railway station with Bangladesh's Gangasagar railway station.

It was estimated that Rs 302 crore would be required to acquire land for the 5 km railway track in Indian side.

"Uncertainty over funding the ambitious project was also removed after NITI Aayog clarified that the Railway Ministry will pump fund to implement the project," Bhowmik, who was present at the meeting said.

NITI Aayog adviser Manoj Singh presided over the meeting while Joint Secretaries of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), DoNER and top officials from Railways Ministry remained present there.