Agartala-Akhaura broad gauge track to link Kolkata

Agartala, Jun 10 : Aiming to build a railway connectivity between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka, the Railway Board has agreed to lay broad gauge track in Agartala-Akhaura route.

Talking to mediapersons here last night, additional planning committee Member, Railway Board B N Rajshekar said the Indian Railway authority had revised the decision to lay broad gauge track in the route measuring 15 kilometre.

''The initial planning was to lay metre-gauge track covering 10 kilometre, five kilometre each in India and Bangladesh, up to Gangasagar across the border. But now we recommend the alteration,'' Mr Rajshekar said.

He said conversion to broad gauge between Lumding and Agartala has been in progress but because of hilly terraine it was taking more time, and added that it was expected to be completed by 2013 along with the expansion up to Udaipur of south Tripura.

He, however, said though the Indian Railway, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of DoNER had been jointly funding the entire project costing an estimated Rs 267 Cr, the cost would increase proportionately with the increase in length by five kilometre.

The committee, comprising the members from all of the ministries, would submit its report along with necessary recommendation to the Central government before the work could be started.

To connect Tripura with the rest of the country via Dhaka and Kolkata would serve common people great.