India will soon start the final survey to lay the rail link between Akhaura in Bangladesh and Agartala, a project which New Delhi plans to implement within two years, a top railway official said on Monday.

The Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) of Northeast Frontier Railway, Mr Mohan Lal, said the survey for the 11.5 km line would start immediately after allocation of funds in the coming Budget.

“Just after allocation of funds in the Budget the final survey will start. The Government of India has sanctioned Rs 2.52 crore for laying the railway track between Akhaura and Agartala,” Mr Lal told reporters at the civil secretariat here. New Delhi is keen to establish the rail link as it would connect West Bengal and Tripura through Bangladesh. He said the railway line will reach Udaipur in Gomati district, about 50 km from here by June this year and Sabroom, about 110 km by March 2014.

During Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January 2010, India and Bangladesh had agreed to lay the tracks between Akhaura and Agartala.

There would be survey on extending the rail link to Sabroom in Southern Tripura. Sabroom is also very close to the India-Bangladesh border and just about 70 km from Chittagong Port.

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