SAARC transport ministers moot Chennai-Colombo rail corridor
Saturday, 1 September 2007
FE Report
SAARC member nations will explore the possibility of setting up a rail corridor between Chennai and Colombo, besides connecting Nepal, Bangladesh and northeastern states of India, according to a report received in Dhaka Friday.
These suggestions were mooted at the first meeting of the transport ministers of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations held in New Delhi Friday.
The member countries emphasised on rail corridor and strengthening air-connectivity between SAARC capitals.
During the meeting, India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka recommended nine sub-regional and regional projects including a rail corridor between Colombo and Chennai and air connectivity between Male-New Delhi and New Delhi-Islamabad among others for consideration of the SAARC member states.
India also suggested linking Birgunj in Nepal, to Katihar in Bihar, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Agartala in Tripura.
"Members states would be examining the viability and desirability of these projects for reporting to the third meeting of the inter-governmental group on transport scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in second of week of March next year," said an official press note issued after the meeting.
The meeting deliberated on the report of the SAARC Regional Multimodal Transport Study (SRMTS) prepared and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and recommended extending the study to include Afghanistan.
The participating ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, also elected India's Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu as the chairperson of the meeting.
Baalu said there should be a focused list of road, rail, water and aviation corridors, which are easily implementable.
SAARC member nations will explore the possibility of setting up a rail corridor between Chennai and Colombo, besides connecting Nepal, Bangladesh and northeastern states of India, according to a report received in Dhaka Friday.
These suggestions were mooted at the first meeting of the transport ministers of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations held in New Delhi Friday.
The member countries emphasised on rail corridor and strengthening air-connectivity between SAARC capitals.
During the meeting, India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka recommended nine sub-regional and regional projects including a rail corridor between Colombo and Chennai and air connectivity between Male-New Delhi and New Delhi-Islamabad among others for consideration of the SAARC member states.
India also suggested linking Birgunj in Nepal, to Katihar in Bihar, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Agartala in Tripura.
"Members states would be examining the viability and desirability of these projects for reporting to the third meeting of the inter-governmental group on transport scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in second of week of March next year," said an official press note issued after the meeting.
The meeting deliberated on the report of the SAARC Regional Multimodal Transport Study (SRMTS) prepared and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and recommended extending the study to include Afghanistan.
The participating ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, also elected India's Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu as the chairperson of the meeting.
Baalu said there should be a focused list of road, rail, water and aviation corridors, which are easily implementable.