In the coming years, you will be able to travel from India to Bhutan via train. The Indian government is funding the project and has sanctioned INR 1,200 crore for its construction.
The railway line will link Assam‘s Kokrajhar and Bhutan’s Gelephu, and is aimed at promoting trade and tourism between the countries, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at a press meeting on August 7.
Everything to know about the train from India to Bhutan
Although the Indian government has earmarked the amount, the train route is expected to cost an estimated INR 1,000 crore, according to Bhutan Live. The railway line will be roughly 57.5 km long and is expected to be completed by 2026.
Talking to the media in August, Jaishankar said that Bhutan is “very keen to increase points for the movement of tourists,” as reported by ANI. In April 2023, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji said that the country will first work on this project before looking at connections with other regions such as Samtse, Phuentsholing, Nganglam and Samdrupjongkhar, according to India.com.
During the press meeting, Jaishankar also highlighted other border projects that are in the works — boosting connectivity between India and Bangladesh. These include buses and the operationalisation of the Chattogram and Mongla ports in Bangladesh. Among other border projects is the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project that will connect the three nations via road.
Once complete, the train route from India to Bhutan will let travellers from both countries cross borders with more ease. Bhutan shares a border with India’s Assam, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, and connections with Assam will boost travel and trade between the two countries.
According to Bhutan Live, the roots of this project date back to 2008, when the then Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh visited Bhutan during the construction of the Nehru Golden Jubilee Railway link. The India-Bhutan railway link plan was discussed again when Bhutan’s Prime Minister visited India in 2018. Initially, an 18-km stretch between Toribari in Phuentsholing, Bhutan and Hashimara in West Bengal, India was proposed for the train route, however, plans for which did not fall through.
Hero and featured (representative) image credit: Debabrata Hazra/Unsplash
Related: Your Bhutan Trip May Cost Less Now If You’ll Stay There Longer — But, There’s A Catch
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
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