India-Bangladesh jointly unveil e-plaques for two projects
Why in News?
- PM Modi, and the Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, jointly unveiled e-plaques for two projects, via video conference.
- The projects include: (a) India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (b) Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur Railway Project
- India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline:
- The 129 km pipeline will connect Siliguri in West Bengal in India and Parbatipur in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh.
- The Rs 346 crore project will be completed in 30 months and the capacity of the pipeline will be one million metric tonnes per annum.
- The oil pipeline will supply high speed diesel to Bangladesh which is currently transported through cross-border train from Numaligarh refinery.
- Of the total length, 124 km will be constructed in Bangladesh and 5 km in India.
- The cross-border connectivity projects through Bangladesh complement India’s Act East Policy and aim to smoothen connectivity with landlocked NE India.
Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur Railway Project:
- 80 km of the two new dual gauge rail lines would be constructed on the Dhaka-Tongi route while a 12.28 km new dual gauge railway double line on the Tongi-Joydevpur route.
- The railway project will bring relief to road traffic in Bangladesh.
India to use Chittagong and Mongla Ports:
- With these ports the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram will have another mode of transport, making the region more accessible.
- These accesses are granted as per GATT rules.
- The agreement, effective for five years initially, will be renewed automatically for another five years.
- While the pact will be signed between Bangladesh and India, later Nepal and Bhutan can join.