Railway min urged to introduce train services on Agartala-Kolkata route

Tripura minister has asked to commence train services from Agartala to Chittagong in the neighbouring country through the railway tracks between the capital of Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh

Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury has written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting him to introduce train services from Agartala to Kolkata via Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

He also urged the central minister to commence train services from Agartala to Chittagong in the neighbouring country through the railway tracks between the capital of Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina had virtually inaugurated the Agartala-Akhaura railway link in November last year. However, train services on this route have not been introduced till now, Chowdhury said.

"Under your stewardship, we have witnessed significant strides in enhancing the efficiency, safety and reach of our railway network. I request you to introduce the passenger and goods train service from Agartala to Kolkata via Dhaka and Agartala to Chittagong through the newly inaugurated railway track between Agartala and Akhaura (Bangladesh)," Chowdhury wrote in a letter to the railway minister on Thursday.

He also demanded the revival of the railway link between Belonia in south Tripura and Feni in Bangladesh.

The Belonia-Feni link is among the 14 proposed railway connectivity routes in the northeastern region.

Chowdhury urged the central minister to convert the existing single-line tracks into double-line and demanded additional daily passenger trains on the Agartala-Dharmanagar route.

He also appealed to Vaishnaw to commence the Agartala-Guwahati intercity train services.