India Bangladesh Launch Three Major Connectivity, Energy Projects

Context:

India Bangladesh launched three India-assisted development projects, two of which are expected to boost trade and improve connectivity with the Northeastern states.

The three projects are the Akhaura Agartala Rail Link, Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line; and Unit 2 of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant.
Akhaura Agartala Rail Link Project: This is the first rail link from India’s northeastern states to Bangladesh.
- It has been executed under Government of India grant assistance of Rs 392.52 crores extended to Bangladesh.
- The length of the rail link is 12.24 km with a 6.78 km dual gauge rail line in Bangladesh and 5.46 km in Tripura.

India Bangladesh

- Significance: Lesser travel time. The travel time will be cut to 12 hours from the earlier, much longer 38 hours.
- With the Akhaura- Agartala cross-border rail link operational, trains can run from Kolkata to Agartala via Bangladesh.
  - The neighbouring country is located in the middle of the land mass between India’s northeast and the rest of the country, connected only by a small corridor in Bengal’s Siliguri popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck.
The Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line Project: It has been implemented under Government of India concessional line of credit with a total project cost of $388.92 million.
- The project entails construction of approximately 65 km of broad gauge rail route between Mongla Port and the existing rail network in Khulna.
- With this, Mongla, the second largest port of Bangladesh, gets connected with the broad gauge railway network.
- Significance: It will boost the connectivity of Bangladesh with its three neighbours – India, Nepal and Bhutan.
- The rail link will establish a connection between Mongla Port and Siliguri in India through Panchagarh and Banglabandha in the north.
Maitree Super Thermal Power Project
- Location: Rampal, Bangladesh, developed on the bank of Passur River.
- Capacity: 1320 MW
- Financing: Concessional funding from India
- Project Cost: The $2 billion
- Built by: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and the Bangladesh Power Development Board.