Agartala-Akhaura Cross-Border Rail link project

Agartala-Akhaura Cross-Border Rail link project

(India-Bangladesh relations)

Important for Prelims:

Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link, Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line, Maitri Super Thermal Power Plant, 'Act East Policy', 'Look East Policy', 'Neighborhood First Policy',

Important for Mains:

Importance of Agartala-Akhaura cross border rail link project, international relations between India and Bangladesh

November 10, 2023

In News:

  • On November 1, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Agartala-Akhaura rail link, connecting India's northeast with Bangladesh.
  • Apart from this, the 65 km long Khulna-Mongla Port Railway Line and the second unit of Maitri Super Thermal Power Plant in Rampal, Bangladesh were inaugurated by the heads of both the countries.

Agartala-Akhaura Cross Border Rail Link Project

About this:

  • This rail link project was proposed in the year 1974 and gained momentum after the MoU was signed in 2010.
  • This project was sanctioned during the year 2012-13 and the foundation stone of Agartala-Akhaura rail link was laid in July 2016. It consists of one major bridge and three minor bridges.
  • It is a 12.24 km long rail network, which connects about 6.78 km of dual gauge rail line in Bangladesh and 5.46 km of rail line in Tripura.

Objective:

  • The project aims to increase connectivity, promote trade and strengthen relations between the two countries.

Project Cost:

  • According to official estimates, the project cost from the Indian side was approximately ₹ 862.58 Crore, which included funding from various sources.

Cause of delay in project

  • The project was scheduled to be completed in 2020, but was delayed due to land acquisition issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • It is noteworthy that during the colonial era, Akhaura used to be a railway link to Agartala.

India and Bangladesh road route

  • Tripura shares an 856 km long international border with Bangladesh, parts of which are still unfenced due to local disputes. The state's only road connectivity with the rest of the country is through a narrow strip of land in Assam and Siliguri in West Bengal.

Significance of the Project:

  • This rail link will boost cross-border trade and significantly reduce travel time between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka.
    • Currently, the rail route from Agartala to Kolkata is approximately 1600 kilometers and takes 38 hours. After the opening of the rail link, the travel time will be reduced by about 10 hours.
  • This rail link will enable freight trains to reach the North Eastern region through Bangladesh at much lower transportation costs.
    • It will be economically useful for the people of the north-eastern states of Tripura, Assam and southern parts of Mizoram.
  • Additionally, it will also provide direct access between landlocked North Eastern India and Chittagong port of Bangladesh.
  • It will support India's Act East Policy and Neighborhood First Policy and promote small-scale industries and tourism in the region.

Maitri Super Thermal Power Project:

  • India has given a loan of US $ 1.6 billion to Bangladesh for the Maitri Super Thermal Power Project. This 1320 MW thermal power plant has been built at Rampal in Khulna Division of Bangladesh. In September 2022, the first unit of this plant was inaugurated.

Act East Policy and Neighborhood First Policy:

  • The ‘Act East Policy’ announced in November 2014 is an upgraded version of the ‘Look East Policy’.
  • The policy aims to promote economic cooperation, cultural ties and develop strategic relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region through sustained engagement at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels, so that better connectivity can be provided to the states of the North Eastern region.
  • 'Neighborhood First Policy' was started in the year 2005 with the aim of giving priority to its neighboring countries by India.
  • In the era of globalization, this policy is a means of soft power policy that addresses the need for regional integration in South Asia.

 

Way forward

  • A joint task force should be formed to stop cross-border drug smuggling and human trafficking between the two countries.
  • Artificial intelligence based machines should be used to resolve the border dispute between the two.
  • Digital connectivity corridors should be established to promote high-speed internet connectivity, digital services and e-commerce between the two countries, thereby paving the way for new avenues of trade, cooperation and technology exchange.

 

Source: The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB

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Mains Exam Question

Discuss India-Bangladesh relations in the context of Agartala-Akhaura cross border rail link project.

 

 

 

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