AGARTALA, May 7 (TIWN): The proposed India-Bangladesh railway project to connect the North East with Bangladesh likely to be delayed with another uncertainty prevails. According to the official source of the state govt. the central govt. is yet to release the fund for the land acquisition. Stating “No funds were allocated in the railway budget for 2015-16, even for land acquisition” the official source said that the state govt. has recently approached the Union Ministry of railways. As per the project India will build a 15km railway tracks linking Tripura's capital Agartala with Bangladesh's southeastern city of Akhaurah, an important railway junction connected to Chittagong port, resource-rich Sylhet and Dhaka. "The central government is yet to provide required funds for the project. The land acquisition and subsequent works for the railway project connecting Tripura with Bangladesh would be delayed," the official said. However it is to be mentioned here that several crucial meeting were held previous year where various pending issues relating to new Agartala-Akhaura rail link project were discussed. But uncertainty dogs in the project work as the state govt. is yet to get the fund for land acquisition.

Indian government is taking entire burden of expenditure towards laying track, building a border station and infrastructure facilities in the 15 km railway stretch. Officials said the central government has already allocated Rs. 252 crore for the project to comply with an agreement between both countries signed in 2010.

Of the 15 km railway line, five km of tracks was in the Indian side and the remaining in Bangladesh. The cost of the project was earlier estimated at Rs.271 crore. In addition, Rs.302 crore is needed to acquire around 98 acres of land in India for laying the tracks.

The new railway connectivity between the northeastern state and Bangladesh would boost the socio-economic, trade and business ties between the two countries.

Tripura's capital Agartala came on the country's railway map in October 2008. At present, the distance between Agartala and Kolkata is 1,650 km which would get reduced to 650 km if a line is constructed through Bangladesh.