**Policy Summary: Rail Connectivity in Tripura**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Railways' response to a parliamentary question regarding rail connectivity in Tripura.
**Current Status:**
Tripura is currently connected to the Indian Railways network. Several projects have been undertaken to improve rail connectivity within the state, including:
* **Agartala-Sabroom New Line (112 km):** Completed at a cost of ₹3170 crore.
* **Lumding-Badarpur-Kumarghat Gauge Conversion (244 km):** Completed at a cost of ₹6500 crore.
**Ongoing and Planned Projects:**
* **Chandranathpur-Agartala Doubling (244 km):** A Final Location Survey (FLS) has been sanctioned to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Project sanctioning is contingent on DPR completion, stakeholder consultations (including the Tripura State Government), and approvals from NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance. Timelines remain unfixed due to the dynamic nature of project sanctioning.
**Agartala-Kolkata Connectivity:**
* Kolkata and Agartala are presently connected via New Farakka, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, and Lumding.
* The Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) new line project (12 km) has been sanctioned to enhance connectivity between India and Bangladesh and promote bilateral trade. The anticipated cost for the Indian side is ₹973 crore. The Indian alignment, from Agartala Railway Station to Nischintpur Yard (5.46 km), has been commissioned. Further improvements depend on track upgrades within Bangladesh.
**Factors Affecting Project Completion:**
Project completion is subject to factors including: land acquisition speed, forest clearances, utility shifting, statutory clearances, geological and topographical conditions, law and order, and available working months. These factors influence project timelines and costs.
Key Entities Referenced
Tripura: A state in Northeast India, focus of rail connectivity improvements.
Agartala: The capital city of Tripura, a key node in rail connectivity projects.
Kolkata: A major city in West Bengal, India, and a destination for rail connectivity from Agartala.
Bangladesh: A neighboring country, involved in improving rail connectivity between Agartala and Kolkata via the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line project.
Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line: A railway project to improve connectivity between Agartala, India, and Akhaura, Bangladesh.
Indian Railways: The national railway system of India, responsible for rail projects in Tripura.
NITI Aayog: National Institution for Transforming India, involved in the appraisal of railway projects.
Ministry of Finance: The ministry involved in sanctioning of railway projects, requiring consultation after firming up of DPR.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4571
TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025
RAIL CONNECTIVITY IN TRIPURA
4571. SMT. KRITI DEVI DEBBARMAN:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the steps being taken to ensure more resilient and
uninterrupted rail connectivity in Tripura in light of frequent disruption
due to floods and landslides; and
(b) whether the Government is still actively pursuing the alternate
arrangement to improve rail connectivity between Agartala and
Kolkata through Bangladesh, particularly the Agartala-Akhaura Rail
Line project and if so, the details thereof?;
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) and (b): Railway projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway wise and not
Region-wise or State-wise, as Indian Railways’ projects may span across
State boundaries.
Tripura is already connected to Rail network of Indian Railways. To
improve rail connectivity to Tripura following projects falling fully/partly in
the State of Tripura were taken up and completed:-
Contd…2/--:2:-
S.No. Name of the Project Cost (₹ in
crore)
1. Agartala – Sabroom New Line (112 Km) 3170
2. Lumding – Badarpur – Kumarghat Gauge Conversion 6500
(244 Km)
To provide additional railway infrastructure in the State of Tripura, Final
Location Survey (FLS) for Chandranathpur – Agartala doubling (244 Km)
has also been sanctioned for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR)
and survey has been taken up.
After firming up of DPR, sanctioning of project requires consultation with
various stake-holders including State Governments and necessary
approvals viz. appraisal of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance etc. As
sanctioning of projects is a continuous and dynamic process, exact
timelines cannot be fixed.
Kolkata and Agartala is already connected through existing railway
network via New Farakka, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati and Lumding.
To provide additional connectivity between India and Bangladesh and
encourage trade between the two nations, Agartala-Akhaura (12 km) new
line project has been sanctioned. The anticipated cost of the project
(Indian side) is ₹973 crore. The alignment for Indian side of the project
runs from Agartala Railway Station to Nischintpur Yard (5.46 km), which
has been commissioned. Further connectivity to Tripura via Bangladesh
can improve after upgradation of track in Bangladesh.
Contd…3/--:3:-
Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors like quick land
acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest
department, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from
various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law
and order situation in the area of project/s site, number of working months
in a year for particular project site etc. All these factors affect the
completion time and cost of the project/s.
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