Agartala-Akhaura rail link in September 2021

The much awaited railway line between Agartala to Akhaura in Bangladesh will be completed by September 2021 and the process for acquisition of land and handing it over to the executing agency in both the countries 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).

The DoNER ministry is bearing the cost for laying the track on the 5.46 km Indian side and the cost of laying the 10.6 km-long track on the Bangladesh side is being borne by the ministry of external affairs, the officials said.

IRCON is the executing agency for construction of the project on both sides and Rs 580 crore has been sanctioned for the Indo-Bangla railway work in the Indian side.

Work is in progress in full swing in the Indian side and we hope to complete it before September 2021. The process for acquisition of land is complete and the land has been handed over to IRCON, 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 here 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.