Renewed Focus on Bhutan-India Cross-border Railway Links
31 July 2024
The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the governments of Bhutan and India, attended by Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a renewed focus on the construction of cross-border railway linkages between Bhutan and India. Feasibility studies are currently underway for the 70-kilometer Gelephu (Bhutan) - Kokrajhar (India) and 16-kilometer Samtse (Bhutan) - Banarhat (India) railway links.
The railway projects are expected to bring significant socio-economic benefits to both countries, including improved trade, tourism, and cross-border movement of goods and people. The Gelephu railway link is crucial for the development of the planned Gelephu Mindfulness City envisioned by His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan. The renewed commitment from both nations potentially forges a new path of cooperation between the two countries.
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