Ministry of Railways

Government of India

7-8 Feb 2018

Bangkok, Thailand

Regional Policy Dialogue on

Strengthening Transport Connectivity in

Southern and Central Asia.

TAR Routes

• UN ESCAP study identified three broader routes:

• Northern corridor: passing through China,

Kazakhstan, Mangolia, Russian federation and Korean

peninsula;

• TAR on Indo- China: starting from Chinese

border to Laos, Thailand, Malaysia;

• Southern corridor: connecting Turkey through

Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and with Sri Lanka also part of the corridor,

South Asia -An Overview• In South Asian Region, inadequate infrastructure

increases costs of logistics and hampering tradepromotion & regional integration

• Missing links and lack of uniform technical standardsare main challenges .

• TAR – a major UN-ESCAP initiative to strengthen railconnectivity between Asia and Europe. Southerncorridor extends through South Asian Region.

• For integration with South West Asia the mainconstraint is inter-operability of gauge and with SouthEast Asia, mainly the missing links.

Connectivity with neighbouring countries

Gede

Tamu

TAR main link

TAR other routes

Missing Links

Break of Gauge

TAR Network in India

Mahisasan

Existing Cross Border Railway links of India

• With Pakistan via Atari-Wagha and viaMunabao-Khokharapar

• With Nepal via Raxaul-Birganj

• With Bangladesh via Gede-Darsana, Singhabad-Rohanpur, Benapole-Petrapole and Radhikapur-Birol

New Connectivity Projects

• For connectivity with Bangladesh➢ Agartala - Akhaura New Line (Trans Asian Railways missing

link segment) is undertaken.

➢ Restoration of rail link between Haldibari- Chilhatti

• For connectivity with Nepal two projects have beensanctioned:➢ Jogbani-Biratnagar link

➢ Jayanagar-Bijalpura Gauge Conversion with extension toBardibas

• For Connectivity with Myanmar➢ Jiribam-Imphal new link is under construction and a Survey

has also been undertaken for linking Imphal – Moreh - Thislink will connect Indian Railways with Myanmar Railwaysin future.

India – Bangladesh Existing Rail Links and New links under implementation

Benapole - Petrapol

Gede - Darsana

Singhabad- Rohanpur

Radhikapur-Birol

Agartala- Akhaura

Haldibari -Chilhatti

Train Operation - India - Pakistan

• Bilateral Agreements exist for interchange of traffic at border stations;- Wagah (Pakistan) – Attari (India) and

- Kokrabar (Pakistan) – Munabao (India)

• No break of Gauge issues as both countries have Broad Gauge (1.676 m)

• Customs, Immigration and health checks shall be conducted by the border stations of the respective countries

• Standard Wagons’ shall be used for inter-country traffic

• Freight/Fare collected for the movement from/to border points of the respective country

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 four locations for interchange of traffic viz. 1. Gede-Darshana 2. Singhabad-Rohanpur , 3. Petrapole-Benapole and 4. Radhikapur-Birol

• 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

Passenger Train service India - Bangladesh

• Working of trains governed by the Fundamental and subsidiary Rules

• 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

Status of India–BandladeshRail connectivity Projects –

Akhaura – Agartala Railway Link

• Length: 15.064 km (Indian 5 km, Bangladesh -10 km)

• Approximate cost of the project 151 million USD

• Detailed Engineering Report prepared by IRCON has been accepted by the Bangladesh Railways and Indian Railways

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 are interchanged

• Basic maintenance of wagons at Birganj

• Collection of freight by respective agencies over their respective territory

• Customs facilitation at Raxaul and the Gateway ports

Status of India–NepalRail connectivity Projects –

Jayanagar (India) to Bardibas(Nepal) New line Project:

• Length - 68.79 km (2.99 km in India and 65 .72 km in Nepal) - Gauge conversion from NG rail to BG (51.735 Km) and Construction of a new BG line (16.9 Km)

• Formation and Bridge work in progress in available land.

• Target date 3 years on receipt of encumbrance free land

Jogbani (India) to Biratnagar (Nepal) New Line Project

• Length -18.6 km (5.45 km in India and 13.15 km in Nepal)

• Formation and Bridge work in progress in available land

• Target date 2 years on receipt of encumbrance free land

India Nepal New Lines SurveyedS.No. From To Distance

( in Kms.)

1 Jogbani (India) Biratnagar (Birat nagar) 18

2 Jayanagar (India) Bijalpura (Nepal ) & extn. to

Bardibas

69

3 Nepalganj Road (India) Nepalganj (Nepal) 12

4 Nautanwa (India) Bhairahawa (Nepal) 15

5 New Jalpaiguri

(India)

Kakarbhita via Panittanki

( Nepal)

46

6 Khushinagar (India) Kapilavastu (Nepal) Survey in

progress

7 Barhni (India) Kathmandu (Nepal) Survey in

progress

Projects mentioned in S.No. (1) and (2) are under implementation

India–MyanmarRail connectivity Projects –

• The missing rail link between India and Myanmar is from Jiribam - Moreh (Indian portion) - Tamu – Kaley (Myanmar portion)

• New line project between Jiribam and Imphal (110 Kms. ) is being 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 .

• A Detailed Project Report is being considered for the construction of missing link between Moreh – Tamu- Kalayin the Myanmar side

Sub-regional connectivity –existing and new Rail Links

Sabroom

New Line under

construction

Moreh

Indo-Myanmar Missing Link

TAMUMOREH

KALAY

Key challenges in Cross Border Railway Transport

• Complex border-crossing procedures and lack of harmonization in the documents required for different countries

• Different technical standards for rolling stock, power.

• Inspections on both sides of border crossings causing delays

• Different operating rules and tariff structures

• Different requirements for train drivers and crew

• Incompatible cross border information and data transmission systems.

Development of ICPs(Integrated Check Posts)

• ICPs are major Infrastructural facilities provided on land borders to improve the trade and passenger movement and also enhancing security

• The existing infrastructure for discharge of various sovereign functions at these points is neither adequate nor integrated

• ICPs would function as a single unit and provide coordination among various government agencies

• ICPs provide facilities for customs, immigration, border guarding forces, plant and animal quarantine, warehousing, banking, etc.

• The operational ICPs have resulted in increase in trade, hassle-free movement of cargo and passenger

• Government of India has prioritized implementation of ICPs at certain locations depending on trade volume, passenger traffic, land availability

• List of ICPs planned:

• Phase-I (7 locations): - Attari, Agartala, Petrapole, Raxaul, Jogbani, Moreh and Dawki

• Phase-II (13 locations) - Jaigaon, Sunauli, Rupaidiha, Panitanki, Hili,Changrabandha, Sutarkandi, Mahadipur, Fulbari, Ghojadanga, Bhithamore, Banbasa and Kawrpuichchah

Development of ICPs(Integrated Check Posts)

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 windowfacility .

• Adopting fast track cargo clearance system

• Simplified Agreement and standard legalregimes

Regional Rail Agreement

• Proposes to integrate the region by overcoming the physical and non-physical barriers which include : ➢ Development of missing links/new links

➢ A basic standard of technical characteristics common to all the SAARC countries.

➢ Standardization of documentation and customs procedure

➢ Maintenance and Operating Arrangements

➢ Safety & Security of Trains while in Transit

➢ Aim of having common Railway Receipt/ Passenger Ticket .

➢ Visa facilities – Multiple entry visa valid for one year for Railway personnel on duty

Objectives of the Regional Rail Agreement (RRA)

1. To facilitate cross border transportation ;

2. To facilitate an efficient multimodal transport system ;

3. To strengthen connectivity and seamless passage ;

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);

Thanks