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Sustainable development in a region is hugely dependent on intraregional economic activities and a robust transport infrastructure.
Goals for shared prosperity are achievable only with interdependence of economies, a common vision for development and a climate of cooperation and friendship. In this regard the growing importance of connectivity in Transport, Energy and Information and Communications Technology are paramount.
EU asan established and ASEAN as an emerging regional grouping are such combined efforts which sustain and facilitate growth of intra-regional trade. BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) region is also emerging as a region with potential and possibilities of incredible economic development. Within this, India-Bangladesh rail connectivity is evidently the most crucial.
An efficient transport connectivity not only has the potential to significantly reduce logistics costs as a percentage of national GDP but also translates into direct benefits to the end users. The gains of reduced transit time via shorter transit corridors are incredible. With opening of Agartala (India) – Akhaura (Bangladesh) rail link, a freight train from Kolkata to Agartala, rerouted on Bangladesh Railway could possibly reduce the transportation costs
and transit time by 2/3 rd resulting in a clichéd win win situation for both India and Bangladesh. Similarly on completion of remaining rail infra works, a connectivity from Guwahati to Chittogram port becomes available. The Dhaka-Jessore line on completion on the other hand could well connect Dhaka-Kolkata via a shorter Petrapole route. The question is how fast these gains could be obtained and the present scenario of abysmally low intra-regional trade and consequent trade imbalances could be reversed.Within BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) a seamless rail connectivity between India and Bangladesh could certainly be the foundation for achieving sustainable development and thereby shared prosperity in Eastern South Asia. Rail connectivity from Gelephu in Bhutan to India and Bangladesh and an additional rail connection from Nepal to India and onward to Bhutan and Bangladesh are projects under survey.
India-Bangladesh cross border rail connectivity is now well established at nominated interchange points. It is therefore essential to look at the present rail infrastructure, interchange of traffic and the developments and efforts being made in this direction by both India and Bangladesh which form the foundation of regional rail integration in Eastern South Asia.
Needless to state that quite a few of these initiatives have also been underscored by many regional initiatives like BBIN, SAARC, BIMSTEC, SASEC and TAR etc. A time bound completion of identified infrastructure projects and putting in place mutually acceptable non-physical or institutional frameworks have the potential to enhance intra country rail borne traffic manifold. It is imperative that we outline the ongoing railway projects in the region that have cross border significance. Indian Railways indeed became the point oforigin for most of these projects with the new terminals, ports and commercial hubs and economic zones in Bangladesh.India-Bangladesh Joint Statement issued during the State Visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India in Sept 2022, underlines the importance of implementing bilateral and sub- regional rail connectivity and welcomed specific initiatives e.g. Dual gauging of Tongi-Akhaura line, Kaunia- Lalmonirhat-Mogalghat-New Gitaldaha link, link between Hilli and Birampur, upgradation of track and signaling works, container depot at Sirajganj and supply of BG locomotives to BR. On 1 st. Nov. 2023, two important rail connectivity projects were inaugurated by Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh viz.
Agartala-Akhaura rail link between India and Bangladesh and Rail connectivity between Khulna to Mongla port in Bangladesh. The completed project in a way connected Agartala to Kolkata albeit with issues of Gauge conversion on Tongi-Akhaura yet to be tackled. Connection of Khulna rail terminal with Mongla port with funding from Indian line of credit, provided access to the port of Mongla in Bangladesh to rail corridors connecting Bangladesh with the larger Indian Railway network
and would subsequently connect Gelephu in Bhutan.
At present, Indian Railways is connected to Bangladesh Railway network at five operational interchange points viz: Petrapole (India) – Beanpole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India) – Rohanpur (Bangladesh), Radhikapur (India)-Birol (Bangladesh), Haldibari (India) – Chilahati (Bangladesh).
In addition, between Agartala (India)-Akhaura (Bangladesh) trial runs have taken place and commercial services are likely to begin soon with transshipment at Nischintapur border station. Two more rail connectivity projects between India and Bangladesh at present are at survey stage viz. Belonia (India) – Feni (Bangladesh), Mahisasan (India) – Shahbazpur (Bangladesh). At three of these interchange points, Passenger trains are being run. Kolkata – Dhaka Maitree Exp, Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express and New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express. Freight trains interchange takes place at Four interchange points.
During 22-23, IR handed over 536 freight trains to BR at Gede, 211 at Petrapole, 28 at Haldibari, 102 at Radhikapur and 249 at Singhabad interchange points. Empty rakes were handed over at these points by BR.
These interchange points connect Bangladesh with India at 6 locations. Four of these rail interchange points are on the Eastern side of BR and one in North. On the western side is the newly commissioned Akhaura-Agartala rail link that connects Northeastern States of India with Bangladesh and India.
This link is the most crucial for possible rerouting of freight and passenger trains between Eastern India and its Northeastern States. Broadly the present rail route of about 1600 km between Kolkata to Agartala via new Jalpaiguri- Guwahati could be effectively reduced to 500 km by rerouting rail traffic on Kolkata -Tongi- Akhaura -Agartala route. A passenger carrying train between Agartala to Kolkata presently takes about 36 hours which on this shorter rail route could get reduced to less than 10 hours.
The most significant gains are likely to be in terms of lower freight charges, reduced transit time and reduction in GGEs. With the possible reduction in transit time by 2/3 rd , the freight charges too consequently reduce by 2/3 rd , bringing about sizable reduction in logistics costs.
At the same time revenue accrued to the Bangladesh railway as apportioned earnings for the rerouted traffic would be substantial. Even if the freight traffic for terminals in the hinterlands of Agartala and south of Lumding are considered amenable to such rerouting the apportioned revenue generation for an estimated 3 million tons of freight traffic per annum, could be equal to the entire freight revenue generation of Bangladesh Railway.
This estimate is based only on the present level of traffic destined for rail terminals in Tripura and adjacent states. This rerouted traffic alone has the potential to help improve Bangladesh Railways’ financial sustainability and bring down its operating ratio significantly.
The moot question is how fast this could be achieved. Well, technically Agartala is now connected to Akhaura Railway station on Chittogram – Dhaka Meter Gauge line. On the West Bengal side although the Broad-Gauge Indian Railway network from Gede (India) is available up to Dhaka via Tongi, it’s a Meter Gauge network from Tongi onwards necessitating major transshipment of Goods and passengers due to gauge change.
Essentially Broad Gauging/dual gauging of Tongi-Akhaura section along with commissioning of Bangabandhu Bridge Broad/Dual gauge work are crucial to ensure seamless operation for the potential rerouted IR traffic.
Additionally, extensive track renewal works in Bangladesh Railway on this route to upgrade it to working axle loads of IR, extending the length of loop lines to accommodate longer IR trains and a fleet of Broad-gauge Diesel Locomotives to ensure seamless connectivity must be in place.
The crucial gauge factor has since been taken care of by Bangladesh Railway. It is evident that gradually BR is moving to have a BG network replacing its MG to BG/DG. New projects are already being completed with BG. Khulna -Mongla rail line has been opened with BG and a very important rail project of Dhaka – Jessore Rail line is being constructed with Broad Gauge. Tongi-Akhaura and later the larger section of Tongi- Chittogram are also being planned for conversion to BG/DG.
Indian Railways too has put on priority identified capacity augmentation works on all the routes that are saturated in terms of section capacity and are targeting to double its freight loading to 3000 MT by 2030. Its Dedicated Freight Corridors are in operation to carry most of its incremental growth.
Bangladesh Railway with a network of over 3000 RKMs including half on BG has embarked upon ambitious railway developmental plans. Connecting Mongla port, construction of Bangabandhu rail bridge and a BG rail link connecting Dhaka with Jessore (which would reduce Dhaka-Jessore present distance via Tongi, Sirajganj, ishurdi by 200 kms ) are some of these crucial works. Major Dual gauging of Dhaka – Chittogram is also being envisaged.
There is however the issue of trade imbalance. The traffic from India by rail is mostly of stone, ballast, ash, food grain etc. in return most of the rakes are handed over empty to Indian railways. It’s in this backdrop that rerouting of Indian Railways freight traffic from eastern region to its northeastern states via Akhuara – Agartala becomes economically viable for both India and Bangladesh. Reduced costs and transit time for Indian Railways and apportioned revenue generation for Bangladesh Railways are significant gains for both.
However, this is achievable by Dual or Broad gauging of Tongi-Akhaura section and completion of Bangabandhu rail bridge and completion of Dhaka-Jessore line.
The spirit of cooperation and serious commitments of both India and Bangladesh in augmenting the cross-border rail infrastructure is all but obvious. In a departure from the traditional ways of project financing by the respective countries alone, most of these regional rail connectivity projects are being jointly or assisted funded and executed. e.g. Govt of India has extended its Line of Credit for many such works, provided assistance from MDONER budget, and helped in meeting its rolling stock requirements. Governments of Bangladesh, has also accorded top priority to rail connectivity projects and put in place its ambitious developmental plans and executing these works at a fast pace as is evident in Akhaura- Agartala, Khulna- Mongla and Dhaka- Jessore projects. MFIs like the World Bank and ADB are also extending support to these initiatives.
All the above developments are promising and being worked on by Bangladesh and India in a coordinated manner. Physical railway infrastructure however may not be adequate to ensure a seamless and efficient rail connectivity unless the same is backed by robust institutional arrangements in terms of cross border operating protocols, tariff and apportionment mechanism, SOPs, and regulatory frameworks to provide a level playing field.
Putting in place an umbrella Regional Rail Agreement with bilateral arrangements would be essential towards this end. Identification of infrastructural requirements e.g. Gauge conversion, strengthening of track structure for high axle load freight wagons, extension of loop lengths and putting in place standard signaling and communications on the identified corridors connecting BBIN Rail network must be put in place for the region to start getting the incredible benefits of this regional rail integration. Interdependence and synergy of the type seen so far amongst the nations of the region shall go a long way in stimulating regional growth and development towards shared prosperity.
(The writer is Senior Adviser to the World Bank and Former Member, Railway Board)
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