India and Bhutan have decided to build two cross-border railway lines

¨     India and Bhutan have decided to build two cross-border railway lines.

¨     These lines will connect key towns in Bhutan with parts of Assam and West Bengal.

¨     One route will link Gelephu in Bhutan with Kokrajhar in Assam.

¨     The other will connect Samtse in Bhutan with Banarhat in West Bengal.

¨     The total cost of both projects is estimated at ₹4,033 crore.

¨     The Kokrajhar-Gelephu railway will be 69 kilometres long. It will cost around ₹3,456 crore to build.

¨     The Banarhat-Samtse railway will cover 20 kilometres. It will be constructed at a cost of ₹577 crore.

¨     Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India will fully fund both projects.

¨     These will be the first railway links ever established between India and Bhutan.

¨     The agreement was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan last year.

¨     India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner. It is also the main contributor to Bhutan’s development assistance.

¨     India has played a major role in improving Bhutan’s infrastructure.

¨     It has also supported Bhutan’s broader economic growth.