A business development meeting was held between Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials and delegates of Government of Bhutan in Alipurduar Railway Division in North Bengal recently aiming towards trade collaboration between India and neighbouring countries, a railway official said today.
The delegation from Bhutan comprising members from foreign ministry , trade bodies and chamber of commerce discussed the logistics avenues for future linkages with Bhutan.
During discussion the NF Railway officials explained to the delegates of Bhutan Government, the cost competitiveness and strategic abilities to transport goods in bulk and expeditiously to markets across India and Bhutan.
The delegations from Bhutan visited Hasimara railway station in Alipurduar where an infrastructure is being strategically developed by NF Railway for enabling trade with Bhutan. A plan to build a siding along with a warehouse in collaboration with the Central Warehousing Corporation is underway to promote logistic trade with Bhutan, said chief public relations officer Sabyasachi De.
Indian Railways has already delivered its first consignment of goods to Bhutan through a multi-modal route consisting of 75 utility vehicles. The vehicles were transported from Chennai to Hasimara railway station by New Modified Goods (NMG) rake, a rake specially designed to transport light motor vehicles (LMV), that reached Alipurduar division on 28 October, 2022, De added.
Indian Railways already proposed new projects for cross-border linkages by laying a broad – gauge railway track from Kokrajhar in India to Gelephu in Bhutan, CPRO De said.