AGARTALA, July 20 (TIWN): The proposed India-Bangladesh rail line project work awaits for the release of 60 per cent fund by centre as demanded by Tripura Government, to kick off the land acquisition process. The work would be initiated soon once the state government receives the fund from the centre, said a state transport official.Only 67 acres land is required after the new decision of constructing of elevated corridor has come up recently in the NITI Aayog meeting. The official said that the state government had demanded to release at least 60 per cent of the total fund so that the land acquisition work can be started soon without any further delay.Project cost had been reduced from Rs. 302 crore to Rs. 97 crore as an elevated rail track would be laid for the first of its kind here in North east Tripura. The long persuaded India-Bangladesh railway link is all set to offer a unique experience of elevated railway corridor where people of the land-locked state would get a metro rail like taste for the first of its kind.Asserting that the Indo-Bangla railway extension track will have both facilities- MG and BG, he said a station would be established at Nischintapur where trains of both nations will stop to exchange passengers.The 15-km-long Agartala-Akhaura railway route would connect Indian Railways with the Bangladesh Railways through the North-East which would improve connectivity and boost trade between two countries.A team of Railway Ministry has already visited the alignment of the proposed Indo-Bangla rail link to push the project.

In the recent NITI Aayog meeting which had green signaled the ambitious project, it was proposed to bear the land acquisition cost by the state government but refusing the proposal the state government had urged the centre to release at least 60 per cent fund to kick off the land acquisition process.

The official hoped Tripura would become a strategic location for the entire Northeast once the Indo-Bangla railway extension plan is implemented. However, apart for the passenger movement along the two nations the transpiration of goods would become much easier once the project is being commissioned expectedly by 2017 if everything falls on right track.

The much awaited project work would be entirely funded by the Ministry of Railways, Govt. of India as the Ministry of Development of North eastern Region (DoNER) refused to floor the fund. India will fund for 15 km rail line, including 10 km on the Bangladesh side, to access to Ashuganj sea port of Bangladesh. Once the Indo-Bangla railway extension plan is implemented the entire Northeast would be able to get access to sea.

The experts expressing pleasure over the proposed surface elevated corridor, the metro like rail line here in Tripura for the first ever had pointed out that vehicle growth and subsequent reduction of mobility has became a major cause of concern for the city administration now, which needs an effective dealing at policy level.