India-Bangladesh finalise deal on power transmission link

NEW DELHI: Taking forward the agreement between India and Bangladesh to set up a power transmission link, Ministries of Power of the two nations on Tuesday finalised details and said the 130-km link would be established at a cost of Rs 882 crore.

"We have decided to set up a power transmission link between India and Bangladesh to be operational in two years time or by July 2012 at an estimated cost of about Rs 882 crore," Power Secretary HS Brahma told reporters on Tuesday.

"The central power utility PowerGrid would invest Rs 178 crore while the remaining cost would be borne by Bangladesh," Brahma said after a meeting with a Bangladeshi delegation led by their Secretary Power Md Abul Kalam Azad.

The transmission line would connect Behrampur in India and Behramara in Bangladesh. Out of the 130 km link, 45 km would fall on the Indian territory and 85 km would be built on Bangladesh land.

India's largest power generation company NTPC would set up power projects in Bangladesh and would also take up renovation and modernisation of the existing projects.