Agartala, May 22 (IANS / TIWN) The Railways is executing 43 projects at a cost of Rs 9,000 crore to extend rail connectivity in the border areas of northeast India and with other parts of the country, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said here on Tuesday.

Of these projects, 25 are new rail line projects, which will add over 5,100 km tracks to the existing network in the mountainous region, Gohain said while flagging off a bi-weekly Humsafar Express train between Agartala and Bengaluru.

The Ministry has sanctioned electrification of the entire rail network in the northeast.

"Work is on in full swing to connect the remaining capital cities of northeastern states. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has been extending 112 km rail line up to southern Tripura's bordering city Sanbrrom to get access to the Chittagong port in Bangladesh."

The Minister said that the NFR has started work to lay the new 15-km line from Agartala to Akhaura in Bangladesh.

Addressing the gathering, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said that after the construction of a bridge on the Feni river by December 2019, Tripura would become a gateway to the northeastern region and Bangladesh. 

The Chief Minister urged Gohain to make all Express trains from Tripura to various parts of the country, including Rajdhani Express, at least bi-weekly if not daily.

Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, Forest and Tribal Welfare Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia, and NFR General Manager Sanjive Roy were also present.