Tripura govt urges SAARC countries for better connectivity

Agartala, Sep 5 (UNI) To ensure better connectivity among the south Asian nations, the Tripura government has urged the transport ministers of all the SAARC countries to construct a road from here to Chittagong in Bangladesh.

State Transport Minister Manik Dey told UNI here today that Tripura can be the gateway for Southeast Asia in general and Northeast in particular once the proposed road is constructed.

The Chittagong port is just 75 km from Sabroom in South Tripura while Ashuganj port is only a few km from here.

Mr Dey also said the state had raised transit and transhipment issue for transport and communication between Northeast India and rest of the country via Bangladesh.

''If Bangladesh allows the transit facility for the NE states then it will also be benefited in many ways,'' Mr Dey stated.

He further said the state government had urged Prime Minister Monmohan Singh to sanction another alternative national highway from Sabroom to Kukital in Assam via west Dhalai and north Tripura districts in this regard.

The Centre had already taken up the project to construct a four lane Assam-Agartala national highway as announced by Dr Singh.

Besides, the SAARC meeting held at New Delhi on August 31 had proposed a rail corridor between Chennai in India and Colombo in Sri Lanka and air link between New Delhi and Islamabad, Pakistan.

The meeting also suggested connectivity between Birgunj in Nepal to Katihar in Bihar and Chittagong in Bangladesh with Agartala in Tripura.

UNI