Agartala Akhaura rail link project: PM Modi, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurate cross-border rail link- See Photos

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A decade after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh in 2013, the first Indo-Bangla international railway connectivity in Northeast India has been inaugurated. The inauguration was done jointly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina from New Delhi and Dhaka respectively, with both leaders attending the event virtually. In his inaugural address, Modi highlighted the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement signed by his government, which had been pending for decades, and the resolution of the maritime boundary issue. (PTI)

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The newly inaugurated rail line connects Agartala in Tripura with Akhaura in Bangladesh, marking the first time a train will run from the northeastern region to Bangladesh. (Express Photo)

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The railway link will extend from Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India, and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station.(Express Photo)

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The Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) will cover the cost of laying the 5.46 km track on the Indian side, while the Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for the cost of laying the 10.6 km track on the Bangladesh side.(Express Photo)

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The agreement to lay the tracks from Akhaura in Brahmanbaria to Nischintapur of Agartala was reached during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in January 2010.(Express Photo)

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The project, which had its MoU signed in 2013, commenced with a budget of Rs 972.52 crore in 2016. This included Rs 580 crore allocated for work on the Indian side and Rs 392.52 crore for the Bangladesh side.(Express Photo)

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However, due to cost escalation and other ancillary expenses, the budget was revised twice. The final project cost is estimated at Rs 1,255.1 crore, with Rs 862.58 crore allocated for works on the Indian side alone.(Express Photo)

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Tripura shares an 856 km-long international border with Bangladesh – this is the second longest border between these two countries of any Indian state after West Bengal.(Express Photo)

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The trial run has successfully established connectivity between Gangasagar – Bangladesh’s last railway station before India on this route – and Nischintapur, the last Indian railway station before the border.(Express Photo)