Agartala, Aug 2 – Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, on Saturday visited Tripura’s Nischintapur railway station, the last Indian station before the Bangladesh border on the Agartala-Akhaura cross-border rail route, giving fresh momentum to the long-delayed connectivity project.
Accompanied by Assistant High Commissioner Arif Mohammad, the envoy was received by officials from Northeast Frontier Railways and IRCON. Using a rail trolley, he reviewed the progress of the tracks up to the zero point and inspected the border gate, located just beyond the barbed fencing.
The Agartala-Akhaura rail link spans 12.24 km, with 5.46 km on the Indian side and 6.78 km in Bangladesh. Despite a virtual inauguration by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina on November 1, 2023, and a successful trial run, commercial operations have yet to begin.
The ₹1,255.10-crore project, funded by India, has been delayed due to bureaucratic and technical issues. Hamidullah’s visit is being interpreted as a renewed diplomatic effort to address these hurdles and accelerate its launch.
While speaking briefly to the media, the High Commissioner said his Tripura visit was “going good,” hinting at positive discussions.
This inspection follows his Thursday visit to the Agartala Integrated Check Post (ICP), where he held meetings with the Land Port Authority of India. Before concluding his three-day trip on Sunday, Hamidullah will also tour the Maitri Setu in South Tripura, which connects Sabroom to Bangladesh’s Chittagong division via the Feni River.
Once operational, the rail link is expected to transform connectivity in Northeast India by boosting trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties with Bangladesh. IRCON is handling the Indian segment, while Texmaco is executing work on the Bangladesh side.
The visit has revived optimism for this long-anticipated strategic corridor.
