PM Modi inaugurates Maitri Setu between Tripura & B'desh, launches key infrastructure projects

Agartala, Mar 09: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the 'Maitri Setu' between India and Bangladesh -- a bridge built over the Feni river. The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited at a project cost of 133 Crore rupees. The 1.9 Kilometres long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister also launched infrastructure projects in Tripura.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, Maitri Setu will not only boost the production of various bamboo products but will also widen the pineapple and agarbatti business in Agartala.

He said, with the opening of the Feni Bridge, Agartala will become the first Indian city closest to an International Sea Port.

Modi said, during his visit to Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and he together laid the foundation stone of the bridge connecting Tripura directly with Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said Tripura had received three thousand 500 crore rupees between 2009-2014 from the Central Government for development projects and it has received 12 thousand crore rupees between 2014 to 2019. He said, the farmers and poor families of Tripura are getting the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Around 80 thousand families are benefitted from pucca houses in the state. The Prime Minister said, Tripura is one of the six states where new technology is being used in building houses. He said Tripura's connectivity infrastructure has steadily improved over the past three years. Mr Modi said, better connectivity in Tripura is not only enhancing the lives of its citizens but also helping in the trade.

On the third anniversary of the BJP-IPFT government in Tripura, Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a token of gift to the people of the state inaugurated and laid foundation stones of several projects including the India-Bangladesh 'Maitri Setu' through video conference today.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of NH-208 connecting the Unakoti district headquarters at Kailashahar with the Khowai district headquarters. It will provide an alternative route to the NH-44. The 80 Km NH 208 project has been taken up by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited with a project cost of Rs 1,078 crore.

The PM also laid the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Sabroom. It will help ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries, provide new market opportunities for products of North-East states and assist seamless movement of passengers to and from India and Bangladesh. The project will be constructed by the Land Port Authority of India with an estimated cost of Rs 232 crore.

Meanwhile Mr. Modi along with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Maitri Bridge at Sabroom which is built over the Feni river connecting Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. On the occasion, the PM also inaugurated 40 thousand 9 hundred 78 houses constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

Addressing the gathering arranged at Swami Vivekananda Stadium here in Agartala through video conference, the Prime Minister congratulated the BJP in State Government for completing its three years successfully. Mr. Modi said with the coming of the new government, the state has progressed in every term of development.

He said the connectivity projects will definitely enhance ease of living for people of Tripura and the state will act as a connecting center in bringing a new development phase for the whole northeast region.