From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 20: Amid growing tensions with Bangladesh, India has halted a series of cross-border railway projects worth nearly ₹5,000 crore. These projects were aimed at linking the landlocked Northeastern states with the mainland through Bangladesh. New Delhi is now working on alternative connectivity routes via Bhutan and Nepal.
The proposed alternative routes through Bhutan and Nepal are expected to strengthen rail infrastructure at an estimated cost of ₹3,500–4,000 crore. At the same time, the government is examining the possibility of doubling and quadrupling rail lines in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar—key feeder corridors to the strategically vital Siliguri “Chicken’s Neck” corridor.
Funding and construction activities for major rail projects with Bangladesh have been suspended, affecting at least three ongoing projects and survey work on five others. Political instability, communal unrest in Bangladesh, and safety concerns for workers have been cited as the primary reasons for the suspension.
Among the stalled projects are the Akhaura–Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link and the Koolaburra-Sahabajpur rail line; the Khulna–Mongla Port Rail Line; and the Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur rail expansion project. These initiatives were critical for connecting the Northeastern states through Bangladesh’s railway network and for reducing reliance on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, the region’s sole land link to mainland India.
The Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, developed with India’s assistance of nearly ₹400 crore, spans 12.24 km-6.78 km of dual-gauge track in Bangladesh and 5.46 km in Tripura. The project was expected to significantly cut travel time between Kolkata and Agartala and boost bilateral trade, though implementation has recently slowed.
The Koolaburra–Sahabajpur rail line, part of the Akhaura–Agartala project, was designed to enhance connectivity to Assam. Meanwhile, the Khulna–Mongla Port Rail Line project, estimated at around ₹3,300 crore, involved the construction of a 65-km broad-gauge rail route linking Mongla Port with Bangladesh’s existing rail network in Khulna. The Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur railway expansion project, scheduled for completion by June 2027, has seen sluggish progress, with less than 50 per cent of the work completed as of last year. India has also been developing other strategic lines, such as the Imphal-Moreh route towards Myanmar, and additional corridors through Bangladesh to integrate the Northeast with the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) network.
All these projects were intended to reduce dependence on the vulnerable Siliguri “Chicken’s Neck.” Improved connectivity would facilitate trade, lower transportation costs, and unlock the Northeast’s economic potential. Collectively, these initiatives were seen as vital to transforming the region’s economy and strengthening its strategic importance.
