Guwahati/Agartala, Oct 18: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has stepped up efforts to complete pending works on the Agartala-Akhaura cross-border railway link to facilitate the early commencement of passenger train services between Tripura and Bangladesh.
NFR General Manager (Construction) Ashish Bansal on Saturday directed officials to expedite the remaining work during an inspection of the project and other railway infrastructure in Tripura, NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.
The cross-border rail link is expected to strengthen connectivity between the northeastern states and Bangladesh while supporting the Centre’s Act East Policy, Sharma said.
During the visit, Bansal inspected Nishchintapur railway station in western Tripura to assess the status of the pending work.
As part of the inspection, he also conducted a window-trailing inspection from Badarpur in southern Assam to Agartala, and onwards to Nishchintapur and Sabroom in southern Tripura.
The inspection covered railway stretches along the route, with detailed reviews and discussions involving senior NFR officials on ongoing construction activities and existing infrastructure, including tracks, bridges and associated safety arrangements.
Bansal also reviewed the status of road overbridges (ROBs) along the Kumarghat-Agartala section. The bridges are intended to eliminate level crossings, improve road safety and enhance public convenience.
A total of 23 ROBs have been sanctioned under the second revised estimate for the Kumarghat-Agartala project, with contracts awarded for 12. Construction of these 12 ROBs is underway.
The inspection comes as work on the Agartala-Akhaura cross-border link continues towards completion, with officials seeking to expedite the remaining work to enable the commencement of passenger services.
The 12.24-km railway line comprises 5.46 km in India and 6.78 km in Bangladesh. It connects Agartala with Akhaura via an international immigration station at Nishchintapur.
IANS