Tripura MP seeks more funds for Agartala-Akhaura rail project
South Asia
Rajya Sabha MP from the Indian state of Tripura, Jharna Das Baidya has requested Indian Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to allocate more funds for the early completion of the 15.6 km Agartala-Akhaura railway line, which would connect Gangasagar of Bangladesh with Nischintapur of Agartala railway station in India.
The project is scheduled to be commissioned at the end of this year, reports the Economic Times.
Jharna Das Baidya in a statement on Sunday (6 February) said she had raised the issue of Agartala-Bangladesh railway track-laying project and sought the attention of Vaishnaw.
The Rs980-crore Agartala-Akhaura railway project has been shared by two central Indian ministries. While the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region ministry has been funding the laying of 5.46 km tracks on the Indian side, the ministry of external affairs is bearing the cost of laying 10.6 km on the Bangladesh side.
The project was delayed for three years initially due to land acquisition issues and alignment disputes of the railway line in Bangladesh.
The Indian Railway Construction Company (IRCON) was entrusted with the construction of the project on both sides of the border.
Land dispute at the initial stage and now delay in payment appear to be the main hurdles in the project, Baidya said.
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