The much expected new railway line between India and Bangladesh along Tripura would be operational in June next year, officials said here on Monday quoting Bangladesh Railway Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan.

The Agartala (India)-Akhaura (Bangladesh) 12.24 km railway project is being implemented with the Indian grant.

A Tripura government official said that the Bangladesh Railway Minister visited the Bangladesh side of the Agartala-Akhaura railway project and told the media that the new railway project would become operational by June next year.

The new railway line between the two countries is very important for both the neighbours, the official said as said by the minister. Sujan said that opening of the new railway route would enhance connectivity between both the countries and would boost trade and commerce among two nations as well as facilitate movement of people.

The Minister assured that there would be no more delay to make the line functional as most of the work on this route has been completed by now.

Of the total length of 12.24 km, 6.78 km falls in Bangladesh territory and remaining 5.46 km of the portion is in Tripura.

The Maligaon (Guwahati) headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is the nodal agency of the Rs 1,000 crore Agartala-Akhaura railway project, which was finalised in January 2010 when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during her visit to New Delhi.

The NFR officials in Agartala said that over 80 per cent work of the railway project on the Indian side has already been completed.

Once the Agartala-Akhaura railway project is commissioned, people of the northeastern states, especially Tripura, and southern part of Assam and Mizoram, can go to Kolkata by rail saving 22 hours of travel time.

Currently, the people of the region, especially those in Tripura and its adjoining areas, go to Kolkata via Guwahati by rail, spending more than 38 hours.

With Agency Inputs