India-Bangla train link a dream for border residents

Nischintapur (West Tripura), Oct 19 (PTI) A train from this sleepy Indian village crossing the zero line and entering Bangladesh is a dream for 70-year-old Daghu Miah and many other residents of the area. Daghu, a peasant, says he does not have any objection to his paddy field being acquired for the proposed railway station linking the two countries, though his land is the only means of livelihood for him and the families of his three sons. Railways officials have surveyed the area and marked 12 bighas of land with the maximum belonging to Daghu. Mubarak Miah, another resident, is eagerly counting the days to meet friends in Bangladesh. He said the proposed railway link would bring the people of the village, Shivnagar, to the mainstream. We will have employment and will be connected with the people of the mainland through Bangladesh, he said. Daghu, however, is apprehensive whether the Railways will provide him proper value for the land. I will have no problem if I can manage to procure the same amount of land elsewhere with the compensation given by Railways. But, I fear the money given during acquisition may not be enough, he told PTI. The Indian Railways recently approved Rs 267 crore for laying down a 14-km railway track to connect Agartala, Tripura's capital, with Akhaura in Bangladesh. The Northeastern Frontier Railway (NFR) is likely to undertake work for laying tracks by October next year, Special Secretary to Transport department Kishore Ambuly said.While the Department of North Eastern region (DoNER) will pay Rs 105 crore for construction of the railway line on the Indian side, the Ministry of External Affairs will provide the rest to carry out the project in Bangladesh. Asked if he was ready to provide land for proposed railway station adjacent to his dwelling place, Mubarak said, If land is required why shall I oppose it? Even if they pay 10 per cent less than the normal rate, still I would say yes. This will benefit the country. President of the Tripura Chamber of Commerce, M L Debnath said that the AgartalaAkhaura link would shorten the distance between Kolkata and Agartala from 1675 km to 350 km, and boost trade, commerce and tourism between Bangladesh and India.