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India-Bhutan: According to the Railway Minister, after the completion of both the lines, both passengers and freight trains will run on it. Due to which there will be economic benefits along with development.
India-Bhutan: To strengthen the economy, India and Bhutan have taken historic rail initiative. India announced their joint plan with Bhutan on Monday. Under this, a total of 89 km long border with Bhutanese cities Samatsse and Gallefu at a cost of more than Rs 4,000 crore will be established. This initiative was described by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Foreign Secretary Vikram Egypt in a media briefing. Egyptian said that the two governments have agreed to establish cross -border rail connectivity to connect Banarhat (West Bengal) with Samatse and Kokrajhar (Assam) to Gallefu. He said that there is a relationship of extraordinary belief, mutual respect and understanding between India and Bhutan. Last year, an agreement to establish rail connectivity was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan.
India is the largest business partner
Vaishnav said that these projects will start from the network of Indian Railways. He said that the estimated investment at this time is about Rs 4,033 crore. He further said that India is the largest trading partner in Bhutan and most of Bhutan’s export-income trade is done through Indian ports. Therefore, for the development of Bhutanese economy and better access to the global network of people, it is very important to have good and uninterrupted rail connectivity. That is why this entire project has been started. While industrial abilities are abundant in Samatsse, Gallefu is a new city which is developing. Giving details of the first 69 km long line between Kokrajhar and Gallefu, Vaishnav said that there will be six stations between the two cities and the construction of the entire line will include two important bridges, two airplaces, 29 large bridges, 65 small bridges, two Goodsheds, one road-over-bridge (ROB) and 39 road-barrid (RUB).
Project will be completed in four years
The Railway Minister said that it will be completed in four years with an investment of Rs 3,456 crore and will be 2.39 km out of 69 kilometers towards Bhutan. Vaishnav told the media that the second line between Banarhat to Samatse will be 20 km long and there will be two stations in the middle. It will take three years to complete it at a cost of Rs 577 crore. He also informed that out of 20 kilometers, 2.13 km will be towards Bhutan and there will be a large bridge, 24 small bridges, one ROB and 37 RUB on this route. Vaishnav said that a lot of preparation has already been done to reach this level. Very soon we will start construction work. This will give people a lot of financial benefits in terms of tourism, industrial development, movement among the people, freight, practically every benefit from the railway. According to the minister, after the completion of both lines, both passengers and freight trains will run on them.
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(Tagstotranslate) India-Bhutan (T) India-Bhutan Railway (T) Ashwini Vaishnav
