Tribune Online Report
The Indian government has sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for a 15.06km railway connection with Bangladesh.
The track would connect India's Agartala with Akhaura railway junction in Bangladesh. Of the total length, 15km falls in Bangladesh territory and the rest in India.

"We were informed by the Centre on Saturday that it has sanctioned Rs 580 crore for acquiring land and laying of five km long tracks on the Indian side," state transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik.

Earlier, the external affairs ministry agreed to provide Rs 400 crore to lay the new tracks and to acquire land in Bangladeshi.

The project would be completed by 2017, Bhowmick said, adding that an elevated corridor would be constructed for covering 3.7km length of the route.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her India counterpart Narendra Modi discussed the issue during the latter's visit to Dhaka on June 6-7 and India would fund the entire project.

Tripura State Transport Minister Manik Dey said completion of the project would reduce the distance from Agartala to Kolkata from 1,650km to 515km and difficult hilly terrain could be avoided.

"This will improve trade and commerce between Bangladesh and India's North East and enhance people to people contact," he added.