The 57.5-kilometre railway line connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Sarpang, Bhutan, will cost $10 billion and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
Just a month ago, India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, hinted at the ongoing discussions between India and Bhutan regarding this transformative railway connection.
Speaking to Indian media, he stated, “We are currently in negotiations for a railway link between Bhutan and Assam. Bhutan is keen to open more avenues for tourism, and this endeavour promises to benefit Assam significantly. The proposed railway link between Gelephu and Kokrajhar, situated on the Assam border, could be a game-changer, promoting both trade and tourism.”
The railway project can act as a breakthrough in terms of facilitating the export of goods, enabling cultural exchange, and strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. The project gained momentum during the Bhutanese PM’s first visit to India in 2018. The commencement of the Gelephu-Kokrajhar rail link construction is expected to pave the way for more railway projects in the southern and eastern regions of both nations, including areas like Samtse, Phuentsholing, Nganglam, and Samdrupjongkhar.
