Modi inaugurates Feni river ‘Maitri’ bridge between India, Bangladesh

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated "Maitri Setu" -- a bridge built over the Feni river -- between India and Bangladesh.

During the inauguration, the Indian Prime Minister said connectivity is not only strengthening the friendship between India and Bangladesh but also proving to be a strong link of business. The entire region is being developed as a trade corridor between Northeast India and Bangladesh, he said, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Modi emphasised that the rail and water connectivity projects involving Bangladesh and India, which were realised in the recent years, have been strengthened by Feni bridge. This will improve connectivity of south Assam, Mizoram and Manipur along with Tripura with Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, Modi said.

The Indian Prime Minister thanked the Bangladesh government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the cooperation in the completion of the bridge project.

Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects in Tripura during the event, via video conferencing, reports India TV news.

The 1.9 km long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh and the name "Maitri Setu" symbolises growing bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.

The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd at a project cost of Rs 133 crore, Indian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.

It is poised to herald a new chapter for trade and people to people movement between India and Bangladesh, the PMO said.

With this inauguration, Tripura has now become the 'Gateway of North East' with access to Chattogram port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 kms from Sabroom, it said.

Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post at Sabroom, which will help ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries, provide new market opportunities for products of North-East states and assist seamless movement of passengers to and from India and Bangladesh, the Indian PMO said.

The project is being taken up by the Land Ports Authority of India at an estimated cost of about Rs 232 crore, the statement said.