• Source:JND
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In another step towards enhancing connectivity with Bhutan, India announced on Monday two new train service projects between the two neighboring countries.

While addressing the media, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "India is the largest trading partner of Bhutan and most of the exempt trade of Bhutan is done through Indian ports. Therefore, it becomes very important to have a good seamless rail connectivity for the Bhutanese economy to grow and for the people to have better access to the global network. That's why this entire project has been undertaken..."

Details of projects

Vaishnaw said that the project will connect 'two very important' cities of Bhutan. "One is Gelephu, which is being developed as a mindfulness city. And secondly, Samtse, which is an industrial city."

Speaking about 89 km long project, Vaishnaw said that the cost is expected to be around Rs 4,033 crore.

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During the press brief, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that the link project will be critical for enhancing cargo and passenger movement between the two countries.

"So it is in the context of this very special relationship that the two governments have agreed to establish two cross-border rail links between Banarhat and Samtse and Kokrajhar and Gelephu. This will be the first set of rail connectivity projects with Bhutan", he added.

MoU was signed last year

Misri also stated that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed last year when the Bhutanese PM visited India. "The memorandum of understanding for this connectivity was actually signed during the visit of the Prime Minister to Bhutan that I mentioned a short while ago, the one that took place last year. And this MOU will be formally signed later today in New Delhi on the occasion of the visit of the Bhutanese Foreign Secretary to New Delhi."

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Highlighting India's role as the largest development assistance provider to Bhutan, Misri said, "For the 13th Five-Year Plan of Bhutan, which runs from 2024 to 2029, the Government of India has committed support of Rs 10,000 crores, which covers project-wide assistance, high-impact community development projects, the economic stimulus program and a program grant. And this quantum constitutes a 100 % increase over the 12th five-year plan figures."