India and Bhutan have agreed to establish two cross-border rail links projects at a total outlay of four thousand 33 crore rupees. The Railway Project includes Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Banarhat-Samtse. 

 

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project will connect two important cities of Bhutan, namely Gelephu and Samtse. He said, these two projects will take off from the Indian Railway network at Kokrajhar in Assam and Banarhat in West Bengal. Mr Vaishnaw added that around 69 kilometer 69-kilometre-long rail route project between Kokrajhar and Gelephu will be constructed at an estimated cost of three thousand 456 crore rupees, While the 20-kilometre-long long Banarhat-Samtse rail project will be constructed at a cost of 577 crore rupees. The Minister said that the entire investment in these railway projects will be made by India.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that this will be the first set of rail connectivity projects with Bhutan by India. He said, the Memorandum of Understanding for this connectivity was actually signed last year during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bhutan. Mr Misri highlighted that India and Bhutan share a relationship of exceptional trust, mutual respect and understanding.  He said, this is a relationship that is rooted in cultural and civilizational ties, extensive people-to-people relations, and our shared developmental and security interests. He said, India is top trading partner of Bhutan. Mr Misri said India has been Bhutan’s largest provider of developmental assistance and has played a vital role in its modernisation, especially in the areas of infrastructure and the overall economic development of the country.