India and Bhutan established railway connections through an agreement signed on Monday during Bhutan Foreign Secretary Aum Pema Choden's visit to New Delhi. The memorandum creates two cross-border rail corridors between Kokrajhar and Gelephu, and Banarhat and Samtse. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Choden to discuss bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. The officials reviewed progress on the 1020-megawatt Punatsangchhu-II hydropower facility, which recently began full operations.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the initiatives valued at 4,033 crore rupees. The 69-kilometer Kokrajhar-Gelephu route will connect Assam with Bhutan, and the 20-kilometer Banarhat-Samtse line will link West Bengal with the neighboring nation. The Ministry of Railways will finance construction on Indian territory, but the Ministry of External Affairs will support Bhutanese development under the nation's 13th five-year plan. Officials designated the Kokrajhar-Gelephu project as a special railway venture to accelerate completion.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the initiatives valued at 4,033 crore rupees. The 69-kilometer Kokrajhar-Gelephu route will connect Assam with Bhutan, and the 20-kilometer Banarhat-Samtse line will link West Bengal with the neighboring nation. The Ministry of Railways will finance construction on Indian territory, but the Ministry of External Affairs will support Bhutanese development under the nation's 13th five-year plan. Officials designated the Kokrajhar-Gelephu project as a special railway venture to accelerate completion.
