The landlocked country of Bhutan faces massive hurdles in terms of communication systems. The hilly terrain is the main cause of this problem. In order to resolve this problem, the Government of India and Bhutan Government are now planning to establish railway communications between the two countries. This step is expected not only to help trade and commerce but also to boost the tourism sector of both counties.
S Jaishankar, the Minister for External Affairs, Government of India made this announcement. He said that the governments of the two countries are in talks to create the necessary infrastructure. He added that this proposed railway communications route will pass through Assam in India. Previously his Bhutanese counterpart, Tandi Dorji had also mentioned this project. He had said that several locations including Nganglam, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse and Phuentsholing will be connected by this network of tracks.
The Indian Foreign Minister also said that this project is expected to be completed in 2026. He added that once complete, this project will be very beneficial to both countries. The Government of India will provide the funding for 57 km of this proposed track.
It is important to note that Bhutan has several entry points from the state of Assam. Indians often enter the country through these gates, mainly for tourism and return in a limited time. Bhutanese citizens often come to India for shopping in Assam for various necessary items. In that sense, this proposed track will help citizens from both counties. It will also help in the transport of a variety of goods including cement, agricultural produce, and several other items.
Feature image courtesy Eastern Railways.
