As a significant step in direction of boosting individuals to individuals contact, a railway hyperlink has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Thursday between Haldibari and Chilahati. In line with Indian Railways’ NFR zone, after partition in the yr 1947, seven rail links had been operational between India and the then East Pakistan up to the yr 1965.
At current, there are 4 rail links that can be operational between India and Bangladesh- Petrapole – Benapole, Gede – Darshana, Singhabad -Rohanpur, Radhikapur – Birol. The newly inaugurated Haldibari – Chilahati rail link is the fifth rail link between the 2 international locations.
The rail link between Haldibari and Chilahati, which was a part of the Broad Gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri throughout the partition was operational until 1965. Even after partition, trains touring to the northeastern state of Assam and North Bengal continued to journey by the then East Pakistan territory. However, throughout the war in 1965, the railway links between India and the then East Pakistan had been successfully cut off.
In line with NFR, in pursuance of the joint declaration within the IGRM, which was held in Delhi in May 2015, the Railway Board sanctioned for building of a new Broad Gauge line from Haldibari railway station to Bangladesh Border for connection with Chilahati, overlaying a size of 3.50 km in 2016-17, to reopen this rail link.
The nationwide transporter, at a value of Rs 82.72 crores, has restored the railway tracks as much as the international border from Haldibari railway station. Accordingly, up-gradation works and laying of lacking tracks had been undertaken by Bangladesh Railways on their side from Chilahati railway station to the international border. On the Bangladesh side, the present line connecting Chilahati – Parbatipur – Santahar – Darshana is already in broad gauge.
The newly opened railway route between Haldibari and Chilahati shall be helpful for transit into the neighboring nation, Bangladesh from the states of West Bengal and Assam. This rail link will improve the accessibility of the railway network to the dry ports, important ports, land borders to help the expansion of regional trade in addition to encouraging the area’s economic and social improvement.
Once passenger trains are deliberate on this route, the public of each country will have the ability to reap the advantage of each passenger and item’s visitors. Additionally, with this line, tourists from Bangladesh will have the ability to simply go to locations such as Sikkim, Darjeeling, Dooars aside from countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and many others. This new rail link can even profit the economic actions of those South Asian international locations.
