Maitri Setu (lit. ''friendship bridge''), also called Gateway of
Northeast
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
,
[Maitri Setu & why the India-Bangladesh bridge is being touted as ‘Gateway to Northeast’]
/ref> is a bridge on Feni River
Feni River ( bn, ফেনী নদী ; ISO: ''Phēnī Nadī'' ) is a river in southeastern Bangladesh and Tripura state of India. It is a trans-boundary river with an ongoing dispute about water rights. The Feni River originates in South Tr ...
which links Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the eas ...
in India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
with Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
port in Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...
,[ thus providing a shorter and more economical alternate land route between India's eastern and western states compared to the longer route through Assam. On 9 March 2021, it was officially opened to public by the Prime Minister of India, ]Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the List of Prime Ministers of India, 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the List of chief ministers of Gujarat, Chief Minist ...
.
History
In June 2015, the foundation stone for the bridge was officially laid by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the List of Prime Ministers of India, 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the List of chief ministers of Gujarat, Chief Minist ...
and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina Wazed (''née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January 2 ...
. The cost of constructing the bridge, as well as the approach roads to it in both Bangladesh and India, was borne by India. The NHIDCL was appointed to execute the project. The bridge connects Tripura with the Chittagong port in Bangladesh providing landlocked North East India
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, image_map = Northeast india.png
, ...
with access to the sea, and enabling the transport of heavy machines and goods to North East India via Bangladesh.Government of India
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
at a project cost of ₹
The Indian rupee sign (₹) is the currency symbol for the Indian rupee (ISO 4217: INR), the official currency of India. Designed by D. Udaya Kumar, it was presented to the public by the Government of India on 15 July 2010, following its select ...
133 crores.
Significance
The bridge place a very important economic role as a major trade route to Northeast India
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, with access to Chittagong Port, which is just from the border. Land route between Agartala
Agartala () is the capital city of the Indian state of Tripura, and is one of the largest cities in northeast India. The city is governed by the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The city is the seat of the Government of Tripura. It is located on ...
and Kolkata Port through this bridge is just 450 km via Bangladesh compared to the 1600 km land route via Siliguri Corridor
The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken's Neck, is a stretch of land around the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, India. at the narrowest section, this geo-political and geo-economical corridor connects the eight states of northeast I ...
. Logistics cost from Agartala to Kolkata Port will be 80% lower, as compared to the Siliguri Corridor, if the goods are sent through this bridge via Chattogram Port
The Chittagong Port ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম বন্দর) is the main seaport of Bangladesh. Located in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong and on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the port handles over 90 percent of Bangladesh's ...
200 km away.[
]
Future connectivity
A rail link extension to Chittagong Port and Cox's Bazar
Cox's Bazar (; bn, কক্সবাজার, Kôksbajar; ) is a city, fishing port, tourism centre, and district headquarters in Southeastern Bangladesh. It is located south of the city of Chittagong. Cox's Bazar is also known by the na ...
deep water port in Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...
by rehabilitating the railway link from Santir Bazar railway station Santirbazar railway station is a railway station in Santirbazar, South Tripura District, Tripura, India.
Santir Bazar railway station is a railway station in Santirbazar, South Tripura district, Tripura, India.
Its code is SNTBR. It serves Santi ...
in India to Feni Junction railway station in Bangladesh is planned which will also provide the strategic redundancy and alternative to Kaladan Multi-Modal project route if there is a war with China.As Smart as Sittwe: Going North-East by South-East
''First Post'', 2019.
See also
* Look East policy (India)
Look East policy is an effort by the government of India to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as a regional power and a counterweight to the strategic influence of th ...
* Bangladesh–India relations
Bangladesh–India relations, (; ) also referred to as Bangladeshi-Bharat relations or Indo-Bangladeshi relations, are the bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India, both of which are South Asi ...
* Bangladesh–India border
The Bangladesh–India border, known locally as the International Border (IB), is an international border running between Bangladesh and India that demarcates the eight divisions of Bangladesh and the Indian states.
Bangladesh and India share ...
References
{{reflist
Bangladesh–India relations
Roads in Tripura
Roads in Bangladesh
Bridges in India
Bridges in Bangladesh
Border crossings of India
Border crossings of Bangladesh
Bangladesh–India border crossings