Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has announced that the Maitri Setu bridge and the Agartala-Akhaura rail link are set to become operational shortly. These projects are expected to enhance trade and travel between the two nations, fostering stronger bilateral relations.
The Maitri Setu, constructed over the Feni River, connects South Tripura’s Sabroom with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.
It was inaugurated on March 9, 2021, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
Similarly, the Agartala-Nischintapur section of the Agartala-Akhaura rail link was inaugurated on November 1, 2023.
However, despite these inaugurations, both projects have yet to become operational.
Addressing the media on Friday, Chief Minister Saha expressed optimism about the imminent activation of these crucial infrastructure projects.
“The election is almost over, and a new government will be formed. Under the leadership of PM Modi, who has always emphasized the Act East Policy and provided us with the HIRA (Highway, I-way, Railway, Airway) model, the Maitri Setu will become operational soon,” Saha stated.
He further mentioned that the trial run for the Agartala-Akhaura railway link has been successfully completed. “The trial in the Agartala-Akhaura railway link has already been completed, and it will also be made operational soon,” Saha said, adding that the enhanced connectivity is attracting numerous investors to Tripura.
“The future of Tripura is bright. After the rail connectivity is established, we will be able to reach Kolkata in a short period,” he added.
General Manager of East Central Railway and Member Infrastructure of Railway Board Anil Kumar Khandelwal inspected the Nischintapur railyard on May 15 to review the ongoing work.
Khandelwal confirmed that the construction work on the Agartala-Akhaura railway project is nearly complete. “The construction work in the Agartala-Akhaura railway project has almost been completed. Now, the train service will be made operational after discussions between both sides,” he said.
Debasish Nandi, Manager of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) in Agartala, stated on Saturday that all necessary arrangements for the Maitri Setu, including immigration facilities at Sabroom Land Custom Station (LCS), are in place.
“We are ready to open the Maitri Setu by introducing passenger movement in the first phase. All necessary facilities, including immigration, have been put in place at Sabroom Land Custom Station (LCS). The goods movement can be flagged off later. The final date for the beginning of passenger movement will be decided by Delhi and Dhaka,” Nandi said.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Khandelwal indicated that passenger and goods train services would soon commence on the newly built international railway route. He also mentioned that the electrification of the railway line from Dharmanagar to Sabroom via Agartala is expected to be completed within this year.
“The entire stretch of the railway network from Agartala station to Nischintapur station on the Indian side to Gangasagar station, the first station on the Bangladesh side, is completely ready for both passenger and goods train operations,” Khandelwal noted.
This development follows a decade-long wait since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh to establish the first Indo-Bangla international railway service between Akhaura and Agartala.
The first goods train successfully conducted a trial run in October 2023, entering Nischintapur from Bangladesh, marking a historic milestone in bilateral railway connectivity.
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