AGARTALA, Aug 30: Trial run of the railway line connecting
Tripura’s Nischintapur with Bangladesh’s Gangasagar railway
station is likely to be held on September 9 or 10, a senior
official said on Wednesday.
Initially, goods train will be introduced from Gangasagar to
Nischintapur. Later it will be extended up to Agartala station,
the official said.
Additional secretary in the ministry of external affairs (MEA), P
Kumaran visited Nischintapur railway yard and held a meeting
with railway and IRCON officials on August 26. In the meeting,
officials from BSF, Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), Customs,
Immigration and National Informatics Centre (NIC) were
present.
On August 27, Kumaran along with Tripura transport secretary
U K Chakma and railway officials went to Gangasagar in
Bangladesh to see the ground reality. On the same day,
Kumaran and other officials took a gang car ride (trial run) from
Gangasagar to Nischintapur.
“Additional secretary in MEA, P Kumaran visited Nischintapur
railway yard and held a meeting with the concerned officials to
take stock of the preparedness for commissioning of the Indo-
Bangla railway link connecting Nischintapur with Gangasagar.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is handling the entire
issue and they have targeted September 9 or 10 for goods train
from Gangasagar to Nishchantapur”, said the official.
To commission even goods trains, there is a need to set up
facilities for Customs, Immigration, Internet service and
security, he said, adding the MEA will pursue the matter with
the Ministry of Home Affairs for Customs and Immigration
facility at Nischintapur.
“Both construction agencies – IRCON (Indian side) and TexMaco
Rail Engineering (Bangladesh side) are ready to flag off trial
goods trains on the newly built track from Gangasagar to
Agartala either on September 9 or 10”, said an official of
IRCON.
An amount of Rs 1,100 crore has been spent for the Indo-
Bangla railway project connecting Agartala with Gangasagar, he
added. (PTI)
