India-Bhutan to build ₹4,033 cr cross-border rail links: Foreign Secretary

The two nations agreed to establish two cross-border rail links between Banarhat and Samtse and Kokrajhar and Gelephu, marking the first set of rail connectivity projects with Bhutan

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday announced two new rail links, Kokrajhar-Gelephu (Assam) and Banarhat-Samtse (West Bengal), spanning 89 kilometres between India and Bhutan, at a cost of ₹4,033 crore.

 

"There is a major new initiative between India and Bhutan on the establishment of rail connectivity between our two countries," the foreign secretary said at a joint press conference in New Delhi with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. 

 

"The two governments have agreed to establish two cross-border rail links between Banarhat and Samtse and Kokrajhar and Gelephu. This will be the first set of rail connectivity projects with Bhutan. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be formally signed later today in New Delhi on the occasion of the visit of the Bhutanese Foreign Secretary," he added.

 

Benefits of the project

Here are the key details, investment figures, and benefits of these projects:

Kokrajhar-Gelephu (Assam)

• Investment: ₹3,456 crore
• Length: 69 km
• Construction: 4 years
• First set of rail link projects in Bhutan
• Facilitate the movement of people and goods
• Help Gelephu's development as a mindfulness city

Banarhat-Samtse (West Bengal)

• Investment: ₹577 crore
• Length: 20 km
• Construction: 3 years
• Better economic and employment opportunities for people in the region
• Samtse is being developed as an industrial town by the Bhutan government

Relationship of exceptional trust

Misri further stressed that the two nations share a relationship of exceptional trust, mutual respect and understanding. "This is a relationship that is rooted in cultural and civilisational ties, people-to-people relations and our shared security interests," he said.

 

Misri highlighted that both Bhutan's King and its Prime Minister have been engaging closely with India. Last year, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhutan, he was conferred the Order of the Druk Yalpo, which is the highest civilian award of the nation.

India's role in Bhutan's modernisation

Commenting on India's role in Bhutan's development, Misri said the government has been Bhutan's largest provider of developmental assistance and played an important role in its modernisation, especially in the infrastructure segment.

 

"For the 13th Five-Year Plan of Bhutan, which runs from 2024 to 2029, the government has committed support of ₹10,000 crores, which covers project-wide assistance, high-impact community development projects, the economic stimulus program and a program grant. And this quantum constitutes a 100 per cent increase over the 12th five-year plan figures," Misri said.