Tripura: Trial run held on Agartala-Akhaura rail link

The trial-run of Agartala-Akhaura rail link was conducted today. For the first time, a locomotive engine attached with four wagons entered into Tripura from Bangladesh. 

The much awaited Agartala-Akhaura rail project will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on November 1. 

Before entering into the Indian side of Nischintpur near Agartala, the BSF personnel carried out the screening of the engine and the wagons attached to it. 
 
The project is significant from international as well as from the domestic point of view.  At present, the rail route from Agartala to Kolkata is around 1600 kilometers and takes about 38 hours.
 
Once activated, the Agartala-Akhaura Rail link project will reduce the distance by around 500 kilometers and the travel time will be of 16 hours between Agartala and Kolkata. In addition, this rail link will also provide a direct access between the landlocked states of Northeast and Bangladesh's Chittagong port.
 
Noteworthy here is that the DoNER Ministry has funded the railway line from Agartala to Nischintpur; whereas the Ministry of External Affairs has funded the rail line from Nischintpur to Gangasagar in Bangladesh.