India And Bhutan Announce Rs 4,033 Crore Cross-Border Rail Link Projects

India announced two new rail projects on 29 September, connecting India and Bhutan, covering a total of 89 km — the Kokrajhar–Gelephu link in Assam and the Banarhat–Samtse link in West Bengal, at an estimated cost of Rs 4,033 crore.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated at a press conference that these two projects mark the first phase of rail connectivity between the two nations.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the projects was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan last year, and a formal agreement will be signed later on 29 September during the Bhutanese Foreign Secretary’s visit to New Delhi.

India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner, with most of the country’s EXIM trade routed through Indian ports.

Seamless rail connectivity is therefore crucial, both to support Bhutan’s economic growth and to provide its people with improved access to global markets, said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the press meet.

Vaishnaw added that the new 89 km rail links will give Bhutan access to India’s vast railway network of 1,50,000 km.

The Kokrajhar–Gelephu link will be completed over four years and include six stations, two viaducts, 29 major bridges, 65 minor bridges, two goods sheds, one flyover, and 39 underpasses.

The Banarhat–Samtse link, costing Rs 577 crore, will be completed in three years with two stations, one major flyover, 24 minor flyovers, and 37 underpasses.

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