Own Correspondent: The Government of India has approved conducting the final survey of ‘site selection’ for laying new lines to increase railway connectivity between Bangladesh, Nepal and North-Eastern states. India is moving forward with the aim of connecting neighboring countries Bangladesh and Nepal with 14 new railways, in which they want to build 861 km of new track with Bangladesh through various points of the border.
The Indian media, Times of India, reported on Wednesday the information about the approval of conducting the survey and said that the railway authority of India will conduct the survey to select which points are better for the line. The survey will be conducted for the establishment of 202.5 km of new railway connection with Nepal. Apart from this, a survey is also being conducted on the laying of 212 km alternative railway line to connect the country with North-Eastern states.
There are plans to rehabilitate old railway lines along with these new connections at Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha, Feni and Chittagong and Jessore borders in Bangladesh. Padma Bridge is also said to be used under this.
Sabyasachi Dey, chief public relations officer of India’s Northeast Frontier Railway, said in a statement on Wednesday that the proposed 32 km route will be laid from Balurghat in South Dinajpur district of West Bengal and Gitaldaha in Cooch Behar district to Hili, Parvatipur, Kaunia, Lalmonirhat and Moghalhat in Bangladesh. Out of this, 14 km will be new railway line and rest will be upgraded.
India wants to lay a 250 km railway line from Balurghat to Hili, Gaibandha in Mahendraganj, Tura, Mendipathar section. The country plans to build a new 60 km railway line from Mangurjan in Bihar to Haldibari in Cooch Bihar in West Bengal via Pirganj, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh in Bangladesh.
Another route will be from Dalkhola in West Bengal through Pirganj, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh in Bangladesh to Haldibari in Cooch Behar, which will have a length of 80 km. A 32 km railway will be constructed from Radhikapur in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur to Gitaldah via Birol, Parvatipur and Kaunia.
The Bilonia to Feni, Chittagong rail route in South Tripura district will be 131 km long, of which 38 km will be brand new; The remaining 93 km will have to be adapted, i.e. the yardage will have to be changed. India wants to run a train from Gede in West Bengal’s Nadia district to Agartala via Bangladesh’s Darshana, Ishwardi, Tongi, Bhairab Bazar and Akhaura, where the gauge will have to be changed on the 100 km line. Besides, India will build a line from Petrapole to Agartala via Benapole, Jessore, Rupdia, Narail and Padma Bridge.
Sabyasachi Dey said these proposed rail routes will increase connectivity between Bangladesh and India. India has already offered to run trains through Bangladesh to reduce the distance and time on domestic routes with North-Eastern states and Bhutan. The government is also thinking about the matter and an inter-ministerial meeting has been held to decide what to do.