External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Saturday, May 28, that ‘better connectivity’ done
with imagination and on the right scale can have better results.
“Better connectivity is central to improving the ease of doing business and the ease of living, both key
priorities of the Modi Government. When done with imagination and on scale, it can actually have repercussions far beyond the immediate issues of the day,” Dr Jaishankar said in Guwahati addressing the Natural Allies in Development and Interdependence (NADI) Asian Confluence River Conclave. He said starting with enhancing connectivity between Bangladesh and the North East region is vital.
“The restoration of six historical cross-border rail links, dormant since 1965, is one major step. Once operational, the Shahabazpur (Bangladesh) to Mahishasan (Assam) link will be extended within Bangladesh and connected to the Kuluara-Shahbazpur rail line currently being modernised using an Indian line of credit (LoC),” he said in presence of his Bangladesh counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma among others.
Dr Jaishankar said, “Inaugurated in December 2020, the Chilahati-Haldibari (West Bengal) line will
further enhance Assam’s connectivity to Bangladesh through New Jalpaiguri, including passenger traffic. A new rail link from Akhaura (Bangladesh) to Agartala (Tripura) too is being developed under grant assistance and we all know that this is already increasing trade between India and Bangladesh”.
He said, overland movement of goods is taking place using 28 notified Land Customs Stations (LCSs)
and three Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the border.
The Maitree Bridge over the river Feni connects Sabroom (Tripura) to Ramgarh (Bangladesh) and was
opened by the Prime Ministers of the two countries in March of 2021.
“Negotiations are also underway to operationalise the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement to ensure
seamless vehicular movement”.
Dr Jaishankar also said, inside Bangladesh, “India is collaborating on a series of road projects, including improving the Ashuganj River Port-Akhaura Land Port Road under an LoC of more than US$ 400 million”.
The road project connecting Baruerhat to Ramgarh on the India-Bangladesh border, which will increase Tripura’s road connectivity with Bangladesh, is also being implemented under another LoC of
US$ 80.06 million, the Minister said.
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