India begins final survey for new rail links connecting to Bangladesh, Nepal

Indian Railways plans to build 14 new railways, 861 km of which will increase cross-border connectivity with Bangladesh

The government of India has approved the final survey of ‘site selection’ for laying new railway tracks to increase cross-border connectivity with Bangladesh and Nepal and create alternate routes to India’s northeastern states.

India plans to build 14 new railways, 861 km of which will increase rail connectivity with Bangladesh.

According to a report published by the Times of India on Wednesday, Indian Railways will conduct the survey to select suitable locations for the project. The country also wants to lay 202.5 km of railway tracks connecting Nepal and another 212km towards northeast India.

In addition, the country will rehabilitate old railways along the Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Feni, Chattogram, and Jashore borders. Connectivity with Padma Bridge may also be part of the project.

According to the chief public relations officer of India’s Northeast Frontier Railway, Sabyasachi Dey, the proposed 32km route will be laid from Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur District and Gitaldaha in Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal to Hili, Parbatipur, Kaunia, Lalmonirhat and Mogolhat in Bangladesh. Of this, new railway links will be built on a road stretching 14 km.

India plans to build a 250 km track from Balurghat to Hili and Gaibandha to Mahendraganj, Tura, and Mendipathar.

A new 60km railway line will also be laid from Bihar’s Mangurjan to Cooch Bihar’s Haldibari in West Bengal through Bangladesh’s Pirgonj, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh.

Another 80km route will also stretch from West Bengal’s Dalkhola through Pirgonj, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh to Cooch Behar’s Haldibari.

Indian Railways will survey a 32 km line from Dakshin Dinajpur’s Radhikapur in West Bengal to Gitaldaha through Birol, Parbatipur and Kaunia.

The Bilonia to Feni and Chattogram rail route will be 131 km long, of which 38 km will be new railway tracks. The remaining 93 km will have to be rehabilitated.

India will also change a 100 km line gauge to run a train from West Bengal’s Gede to Agartala through Darshana, Ishwardi, Tongi, Bhairab Bazar, and Akhaura in Bangladesh.

A separate line will also be built from Petrapole to Agartala through Benapole, Jashore, Rupdia, Narail, and Padma Bridge.

India has already offered to run trains through Bangladesh to reduce the time and distance on domestic routes with Northeastern states and Bhutan.

Bangladesh is also thinking about the railway connectivity project, and an inter-ministerial meeting has been held regarding it.