The 15.6 km-long Agartala-Akhaura railway link connects Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station.

The much-awaited railway line between Agartala to Akhaura in Bangladesh will be completed by September 2021 and the process for acquisition of land and handing it over to the executing agency in both the countries has been completed, officials said on Thursday.

The 15.6 km-long railway link connects Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India (10.6 km) and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station (5.46km).

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) is bearing the cost for laying the track on the 5.46km Indian side and the cost of laying the 10.6 km-long track on the Bangladesh side is being borne by the Ministry of External Affairs, the officials said.

Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) is the executing agency for construction of the project on both sides and ₹580 crore has been sanctioned for the Indo-Bangla railway work in the Indian side.

Work is in progress in full swing in the Indian side and we hope to complete it before September 2021. The process for acquisition of land is complete and the land has been handed over to IRCON, Raman Singla, Deputy Chief Engineer of IRCON International Limited, told PTI.

A district magistrate-level meeting of three districts of Bangladesh and Tripura have reviewed the progress of the Agartala-Akhaura railway line on Wednesday.

Mahatme N Sandeep, district magistrate of West Tripura who headed the Indian delegation, confirmed that the Ministry has set the target of completing the railway project by September, 2021.

The soil condition in the Indian side is soft. So, latest technology is being used,” he said.

A 3.1km long viaduct would be constructed to save land and curtail expenses, IRCON officials said adding around 600 skilled workers under the supervision of 30 engineers of IRCON are working round-the-clock to complete works.

Officials said Nischintapur will have a transhipment yard, the first in the northeast region and the passengers and goods coming from Bangladesh will be off boarded there.

The IRCON engineers are expected to start laying the railway tracks by September/October this year.

The first phase of the 5.46km Gangasagar-Nischintapur railway track and construction of station building, a 1600m platform and the transhipment yard are expected to be completed by December, they added.