India Halts ₹5,000 Crore Railway Projects in Bangladesh Over Security Concerns:

India has suspended almost ₹5000 crore worth of railway infrastructure projects in Bangladesh due to political volatility and risks regarding the safety of construction workers. This action impacts the three critical connectivity initiatives which sought to facilitate the movement of traffic from India’s north eastern states to the southeastern region through the Bangladeshi territory.

The suspended projects comprise of the Akhaura–Agartala Cross Border Rail Link, Khulna–Mongla Port Rail Line, Dhaka–Tongi–Joydebpur expansion. Surveys are also suspended for five additional proposed railway routes. As per The Hindu BusinessLine, Indian officials are now evaluating other possible routes through other bordering countries.

India is also strategically shifting focus toward alternative domestic routes bypassing the already sensitive areas. With heightened worries concerning stability of the region, India is looking at new ways of enhancing connectivity which involves the construction of internal infrastructure as well as through Nepal and Bhutan. Siliguri Corridor- the stretch which links the northeastern part of India to the rest of the country is also receiving special focus.

Steps are being taken to enhance rail capacity in the key accessible regions of the Siliguri Corridor such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. There are plans under Indian Railways to increase these regions’ rail infrastructure by doubling and quadrupling the existing train tracks. Negotiations for cross border rail transport agreements with Bhutan and Nepal are being reconsidered to allow better facilitated, secured and reliable transport.