There is no rail transport in Bhutan.
Bhutan and India signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2005 to connect Bhutan with the Indian Railways network with 5 new routes in Bhutan.[1][2] Additionally, the Indian Military has also identified more routes to complement the India-China Border Roads (ICBR) and negate the Siliguri Corridor's geostrategic vulnerability, all of which will be 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.
Note: Rail lines listed west to east.
| Route | Length (km) | Future Extensions | Operational (date) | Major tunnels # & names | Major bridges # & names | Conceived by | Status/Comments
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gangtok-Nathang-Haa-Paro-Thimphu line | Ext-1: Yongphulla Airport-Bathpalathang Airport-Lingmethang(Mongar)-Thimphu-Paro International Airport line. Also see Ext-3 for Paro-Doklam-Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong connection. |
N (2027?) | Indian Military | Gangtok-Nathang-Haa-Paro International Airport-Thimphu.[3]
| |||
| Banarhat–Samtse line | 18 km | Ext-2: Samtse-Nathu La line | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Banarhat–Samtse.[4][2]
| ||
| Hasimara–Pasakha-Phuentsholing line | 18 km | Ext-3: Phuentsholing-Paro International Airport-Doklam-Lingzhi Yügyal Dzong line. | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Hasimara Airforce Station–Pasakha-Phuentsholing. This line has the first priority to be constructed due to high passenger and goods transportation.[5][2] | ||
| Kokrajhar–Gelephu line (Gelephu Airport) | 70 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Kokrajhar of New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section–Gelephu.[2] survey completed in April 2023 and construction will be completed by 2026 (aug 2023 update).[6] | |||
| Pathsala–Naglam line | 40 km | Ext-4: Naglam-Lingmethang(Mongar)-Lhuntse-Rinchen Bumpa line with spur to Trashiyangtse in northeast. Also see Ext-1 for connection in east to Yongphulla Airport (& Lumla-Tawang). |
N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Pathsala–Naglam.[2]
| ||
| Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar line | 60 km | N (2025?) | 2005 Indo-Bhutan MoU | Rangla–Darranga–Samdrup Jongkhar.[2]
| |||
| Tawang-Trashigang-Yongphulla line | See Ext-1 (Thimphu-Tawang). | N (2027?) | Indian Military | Tawang-Lumla-Trashigang-Yongphulla Airport.[3] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ International Railway Journal March 2005.
- ^ a b c d e f "Rail connectivity to Bhutan? Indian Railways submits studies for 5 links". The Financial Express. 10 May 2018. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ a b [], , .
- ^ Pointers Archived 1 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Railway Gazette International March 2005.
- ^ "View: Enhancing Siliguri corridor for ease of trade and transit in South Asia". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ [1] Archived 7 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine रेल में बैठकर जा सकेंगे विदेश, 2026 तक इस खूबसूरत देश तक बिछ जाएगी पटरी, Live Hindustan, 5 aug 2023.