AGARTALA, Nov 24 (TIWN): After successful railway and portway network expansion, now time has come to pressurize on Highway Connectivity, a recent report said this. In the next budget Central Govt. may give more focus on the roadway connection.After successful BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement in 2015, which opened the bus service between Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala, which slashed distance from 1650 to 515 KM now more plans are in action. The bus service also reduced cost as well as travel time significantly.Cargo truck transit through Bangladesh has completed trail run successfully and also rapid development of protocols for full-scale operationalization of BBIM MVA is the call of the hour, which may boost trades by many folds due to efficiency. On the ending day of NE Industry Summit on Sep 23rd, it was said that although railway, port-ways are easing travelling, but the lifeline to business & commerce are the Highways, which are traditionally known as the shortcut common ways for trade.

It was also said by experts that the long term potential for Northeastern States to be connected seamlessly via road networks internally as well as externally--------1) Internally among the 8 state capitals through a Northeast Ring Road, and 2) externally with Asian Highway Network. 

Reaping the maximum benefits out of he Asian Highway Network will require having Motor vehicle Agreement in place with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand initially, which can be extended subsequently with Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and Malaysia, which may allow seamless movement of cargo vehicles and passenger vehicles across borders, boosting trade & tourism by manifold.

The Union Govt. has initiated mega road and highway expansion / upgradation, but at the end of the NE Industry Summit held from Sep 21 to Sep 23, it was reported that the overall progress has been very slow & Northeast Ring has still remained just as a concept. 

But Tripura being ruled by CPI-M since 23 years, is acting like a rebel to the Prime Minister & his all policies. Whereas due to corruption in PWD the roadways are left in miserable shape in Tripura, but when the Central Govt. is trying to help the state will better connectivity due to non-cooperation it’s not happening in reality.