UN-ESCAP Meeting on Strengthening Railway Transport Connectivity in south and South- West Asia 15 March, 2017 New Delhi

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1 UN-ESCAP Meeting on Strengthening Railway Transport Connectivity in south and South- West Asia 15 March, 2017 New Delhi Mukul Kumar Director Transport Planning Ministry of Railways Government of India

2 South Asia -An Overview In South Asian Region, infrastructure services not sufficient raise non-tariff costs and constrain trade and regional integration India in South Asian Region - Challenges of connectivity, missing links and lack of uniform technical standards. TAR a major UN-ESCAP initiative to strengthen rail connectivity between Asia and Europe. Southern corridor covers extends through South Asian Region. For integration with South West Asia the main constraint is inter-operability of gauge and with South East Asia, mainly the missing links.

3 Connectivity with TAR Network in India neighbouring countries Tamu Mahisasan Gede TAR main link TAR other routes Missing Links Break of Gauge

4 India Nepal Bhutan Bangladesh Railway Network

5 Existing Cross Border Railway links of India With Pakistan via Atari-Wagha and via Munabao-Khokharapar With Nepal via Raxaul-Birganj With Bangladesh via Gede-Darsana, Singhabad- Rohanpur and Benapole-Petrapole

6 New Connectivity Projects For connectivity with Bangladesh Agartala - Akhaura New Line (Trans Asian Railways missing link segment) is undertaken. For connectivity with Nepal two projects have been sanctioned: Jogbani-Biratnagar link Jayanagar-Bijalpura Gauge Conversion with extension to Bardibas For Connectivity with Myanmar Jiribam-Imphal new link is under construction and a Survey has also been undertaken for linking Imphal Moreh - This link will connect Indian Railways with Myanmar Railways in future.

7 Sub-regional connectivity existing and New Links

8 India Bangladesh Rail Links Singhabad- Rohanpur Gede - Darsana Benapole - Petrapol

9 Freight Operation India - Bangladesh Fundamental and Subsidiary Rules for interchange of Railway Traffic and Working Agreements govern Train operations between India and Bangladesh Broad Gauge links at three locations provide for interchange of traffic viz. 1. Gede - Darshana, 2. Singhabad - Rohanpur and 3. Petrapole-Benapole. Rolling stock in good condition (covered wagons) shall be provided by IR and BR Joint Train Examination in both directions will take place at a single point Customs clearance will be arranged by IR and BR at their respective territory

10 Passenger Train service India - Bangladesh Working of trains governed by the Fundamental and subsidiary Rules and Running Power Agreement for interchange of Traffic Both IR and BR contribute equally towards the rolling stock Locomotives provided by IR and BR on their respective territory Each Railway provide for primary maintenance of its rake. The crews and guards of IR and BR will man the trains over their respective territory Customs and Immigration clearance shall be arranged by IR and BR on their respective border stations Revenue apportionment on Km. basis, where IR gets 25% and BR gets 75% of the total revenue

11 Status of India Bandladesh Rail connectivity Projects Akhaura Agartala Railway Link Length: km (Indian 5 km, Bangladesh -10 km) Anticipated cost - Rs. 580 crores on Indian portion and. 332 crores ($53.6 million) on Bangladesh portion The project is being undertaken by the IRCON international Ltd. Detailed Engineering Report prepared by IRCON has been accepted by the Bangladesh Railways and Indian Railways

12 Other rail connectivity projects with Bangladesh Haldibari Chilahati IR have taken up the work on the Indian portion for restoration of 4.5 km rail link upto the Bangladesh border Belonia Feni : A survey was included in : Belonia is a station under construction on the Agartala Sabroom new line project A new line between Belonia (India) (3kms. Indian portion) with Belonia (Bangladesh), an existing station on Bangladesh. Belonia - Feni is a 27 kms. long MG section which remains disuse. From Feni Chittagong 92 kms long MG track exists which is being converted to BG. Radhikapur- Birol : On Bangladesh side BG conversion is in progress. For re-opening this rail link, 500 metres of rail link on the Indian portion from Radhikapur upto the international border is to be restored -

13 Extant practice of Train Operations India - Nepal Bilateral agreement governs the train operation between India and Nepal for carrying third country transit traffic and bilateral traffic on the Broad Gauge link between Raxaul (India) and Birganj (Nepal) is operational Indian Railways provide rolling stock Single waybill for the carriage of goods Train operation done by IR crew Presently Containers of ISO specifications loaded on flat wagons/open wagons are interchanged BCN, BCNA,BCX (Covered wagons) and Tank wagons rakes are also be allowed Basic maintenance of wagons at Birganj Collection of freight by respective agencies over their respective territory Customs facilitation at Raxaul and the Gateway ports

14 Status of India Nepal Rail connectivity Projects Jayanagar (India) to Bardibas(Nepal) New line Project: Length km (2.99 km in India and km in Nepal) - Gauge conversion from NG rail to BG ( Km) and Construction of a new BG line (16.9 Km) Estimated cost Rs crs Formation and Bridge work in progress in available land. Overall physical progress 15% Target date 3 years on receipt of encumbrance free land Jogbani (India) to Biratnagar (Nepal) New Line Project Length km (5.45 km in India and km in Nepal) Anticipated cost - Rs crores Formation and Bridge work in progress in available land Overall physical progress 35% Target date 2 years on receipt of encumbrance free land

15 India Nepal New Lines Surveyed S.No. From To Distance ( in Kms.) 1 Jogbani (India) Biratnagar (Birat nagar) 18 2 Jayanagar (India) Bijalpura (Nepal ) & extn. to Bardibas 3 Nepalganj Road (India) Nepalganj (Nepal) 12 4 Nautanwa (India) Bhairahawa (Nepal) 15 5 New Jalpaiguri (India) Kakarbhita via Panittanki ( Nepal) 6 Khushinagar (India) Kapilavastu (Nepal) Survey in progress Projects mentioned in S.No. (1) and (2) are under implementation 69 46

16 India Nepal links surveyed

17 India Nepal links surveyed

18 India Bhutan New lines Surveyed Distance From To ( in Kms.) Hasimara (India) Phuentsholing (Bhutan) 18 Rangia (India) Samdrupjongkhar Via Darranga (Bhutan) 48 Kokrajhar (India) Gelephu (Bhutan) 58 Banarhat (India) Samtse (Bhutan) 23 Pathshala (India) Nanglam (Bhutan) 51

19 India Bhutan/Nepal New Lines surveyed

20 Indo-Myanmar Missing Link MOREH TAMU KALAY

21 Status of India Myanmar Rail connectivity Projects The missing rail link between India and Myanmar is from Jiribam - Moreh (Indian portion) - Tamu Kaley (Myanmar portion) Incidentally, this alignment is a part of the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway network New line project between Jiribam and Imphal (110 Kms. ) estimated cost- 905 million US$ is undertaken by IR For the balance portion of the missing link on the Indian side between Imphal and Moreh (111 kms), a Survey has also been Undertaken by IR estimated cost 820 million US$ A Detailed Project Report is being considered for the construction of missing link between Tamu Moreh - Kalay in the Myanmar side

22 Key challenges in Cross Border Railway Transport Congestion and delays at border stations, especially at break of gauge points Complex border-crossing procedures and lack of harmonization in the documents required for different countries Different technical standards for rolling stock, power supply, braking systems and signaling systems Inspections on both sides of border crossings causing delays Different operating rules and tariff structures Different requirements for train drivers and crew Incompatible or non-existent cross border information and data transmission systems; and Lack of qualified manpower to operate cross border trains

23 Major Initiatives in the Region SAARC Regional Railway Agreement: draft under finalisation at the SAARC Forum; presents standard governing principles for SAARC nations, and will supplement the existing bilateral agreements stimulus to economic development of the region A BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India & Nepal) Railway Agreement is also being explored. UN-ESCAP-Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad Container train already operational : proposed to be extended to Kolkata and Dhaka- the South Asian region may become a major trade hub. Exploring the feasibility of running of container trains on Nepal India Bangladesh circuit.

24 Objectives of the Regional Rail Agreement (RRA) 1. To facilitate cross border transportation of goods and people between and among Contracting States; 2. To facilitate an efficient multimodal transport system for integration and for sustaining the economic growth and competitiveness of the region; 3. To strengthen connectivity and seamless passage for people of the region leading to enhanced trade and intraregional people-to-people contacts; 4. To establish an effective, efficient, integrated and harmonized rail transportation system in the region; 5. To further the economic integration in the region; 6. To implement relevant provisions of the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA);

25 Regional Rail Agreement Proposes to integrate the region by overcoming the physical and non-physical barriers which include : Development of missing links/new links - for seamless movement A basic standard of technical characteristics common to all the SAARC countries including gauge harmonization and stock compatibility Standardization of documentation and customs procedure Maintenance and Operating Arrangements Communication facilities Dedicated lines Safety & Security of Trains while in Transit Aim of having common Railway Receipt/ Passenger Ticket for movement on the regional network Visa facilities Multiple entry visa valid for one year for Railway personnel on duty

26 Other possible measures for improvement Expanding the railway infrastructure including warehousing and handling yard Expanding Bank and forex facilities Integrated check posts as a single window facility covering customs, immigration and warehousing, health facilities etc. Adopting fast track cargo clearance system Promoting regional transit trade Simplified Agreement and standard legal regimes

27 Thank you