Indian Railways to Expand: 14 New International Routes Approved

Next Stop, International Connections: Indian Railways Expansion Plan

Indian Railways has approved the Final Location Survey (FLS) for 14 new railway routes connecting neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal and alternate routes toward the northeast.

The sanctioned Final Location Survey is 1275.50 kilometres long, while the Final Location Survey for New Railway Lines connecting Bangladesh and Nepal is 861 kilometres and 202.5 kilometres, respectively. The suggested alternate routes to the northeast will be 212 kilometres long. 

The approved routes for the Final Location Survey (FLS) of rail connectivity between India and Bangladesh are the Balurghat—Hili—Parbatipur—Kaunia—Lalmanirhat—Mogalhat—Gitaldaha segment. This segment will be 32 km long, with 14 km of new railway line and 18 km of gauge change.

The proposed 56-kilometre segment from Balurghat to Gitaldaha, Baganhat, Sonahat, Golakganj, and Dhubri will include 38 kilometres of the new railway line and 18 kilometres of gauge conversion. The segment from Balurghat to Hili, Gaibandha, Mahendraganj, Tura, and Mendipathar will include 250 kilometres of new railway line construction. The proposed Mangurjan—Pirganj—Thakurgaon—Panchgarh—Haldibari route will include 60 kilometres of new railway line development.

The proposed Dalkhola—Pirganj—Thakurgaon—Panchgarh—Haldibari segment will be an 80-kilometre new railway line. The projected Radhikapur—Birol—Parbatipur—Kaunia—Gitaldaha segment will be 32 km long, with 14 km of a new railway line and 18 km of gauge conversion.

The proposed Belonia - Feni - Chottogram route will be 131 km long, with 38 km of new railway line and 93 km of gauge conversion. The Gede - Darsana - Ishwardi - Tongi - Bhairab Bazar - Akhaura - Agartala route would have a 100-kilometer gauge conversion. The proposed Petrapole-Benapole-Nabharon-Jessore-Rupdia-Padmabila-Lohagara-Kashiani-Shibchar-Mawa-Nimtala-Gendaria-Dhaka-Tongi Bhairab Bazar-Akhaura-Agartala line will necessitate a 120-kilometre gauge modification. All the proposed routes listed above will improve rail connections between India and Bangladesh.

Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), stated that the alternate new route to the Northeast between Forbesganj and Lakshamipur will be 17.60 kilometres long. The new road between Thakurganj and Chattarhat will be 24.40 kilometres long. A new railway line of 170 kilometres will be built to connect Kumedpur and Ambari Falakata.

The approved route for the Final Location Survey of Rail Connectivity between India and Nepal is the Biratnagar-additional Mal Jn stretch, which will require the construction of 190 km of additional railway line. The proposed Galgalia—Bhadrapur—Kajali Bazar section will require the construction of a 12.5 km additional railway line.

The newly proposed railway lines will improve connectivity in the chicken-neck area. The Indian government is building amicable and mutually beneficial connections with all its neighbours as part of the 'Neighbourhood First' policy. 

This policy will prioritise improved rail/road connectivity, infrastructural development, and increased human-to-human contact. It will also improve communication with surrounding nations, considerably increasing commercial and tourism activity.