Akhaura-Agartala rail link set to operate by September 2021
The 15.6 km-long railway link connects Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India (10.6 km) and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station (5.46 Kms)
Railway line connecting Akhaura and India's Agartala will be completed by September 2021 as the land acquisition process and its hand over to the agency responsible has been completed, officials said on Thursday.
The 15.6 km-long railway link connects Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India (10.6 km) and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station (5.46 Kms), CNBC reported.
IRCON International is the executing agency for construction of the project on both sides and Rs580 crore has been sanctioned for the Indo-Bangla railway work in the Indian side.
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Ministry of External Affairs is bearing the cost for laying the track on the 10.6 km Bangladeshi side and 5.46 km-long track on India side is being borne by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
"Work is in progress in full swing in the Indian side and we hope to complete it before September 2021", Raman Singla, Deputy Chief Engineer of IRCON International Ltd, told PTI on Thursday.
A district magistrate-level meeting of three districts of Bangladesh and Tripura have reviewed the progress of the Agartala-Akhaura railway line in Agartala on Wednesday.
Mahatme N Sandeep, district magistrate of West Tripura who headed the Indian delegation, confirmed that the ministry has set the target of completing the railway project by September, 2021.
The soil condition in the Indian side is soft. So, latest technology is being used," he said.
A 3.1 km long viaduct would be constructed to save land and curtail expenses, IRCON officials said adding around 600 skilled workers under the supervision of 30 engineers of IRCON are working round the clock to complete works.
Officials said Nischintapur will have a transhipment yard, the first in the north east region and the passengers and goods coming from Bangladesh will be off boarded there.
The IRCON engineers are expected to start laying the railway tracks by September/October this year.
The first phase of the 5.46 km Gangasagar-Nischintapur railway track and construction of station building, a 1600 m platform and the transhipment yard are expected to be completed by December, they added.
