By IANS,
New Delhi: India would extend railway networks with its neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said here Wednesday.
Presenting the railway budget for the year 2010-11 in the Lok Sabha, Banerjee said surveys for five new lines have been conducted for rail connectivity with Nepal.
“Out of these lines, a new line from Jogbani to Biratnagar will be taken up and gauge conversion of Jayanagar to Bijalpura with extension to Bardibas will be carried out,” she said.
In this context, she also mentioned the recent agreement with Bangladesh to provide rail link between Akhaura on the Bangladesh side and Agartala on the Indian side.
“This link will also provide a shorter rail route between West Bengal and the northeastern region via Bangladesh,” she added.
This initiative was taken with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her India visit last month.
On the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Banerjee also proposed to run a special train to Bangladesh.
She also announced that the railways’ training institutions would now be opened for the benefit of railway personnel from south and southeast Asian countries.
Banerjee said that the facilities of the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) would be made available for cooperative research and standardization undertaken through the Asian Railways’ Association.