Lok Sabha Question No. 4438 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Transportation with Neighbouring Countries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4438 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2016

## TRANSPORTATION WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

4438. SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  inter-country  bus,  trains  and  shipping  services maintained by India with neighbouring countries;
- (b) the details of pending proposals with the Ministry for increasing frequency of existing services or to start services on new routes;
- (c) whether introduction/revival of shipping services from India to Sri Lanka would be undertaken in future; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) Details are at Annexure.
- (c) & (d) A  MoU was signed between India and Sri Lanka on 07 January  2011  for operationalization of ferry  services  between Tuticorin and Colombo and between Rameswaram and Talaimannar. The ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo was started  on  13  June  2011  and  was  discontinued  from  22  November 2011  as  it  was  found  to  be  commercially  non-viable.  The  start  of ferry  service  between  Rameswaram  to  Talaimannar  is  dependent upon the reconstruction of the Talaimannar Pier on the Sri Lankan side.

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## ANNEXURE

## TRANSPORTATION WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

|   S. No. | Name of the country   | the details of inter-country bus, trains and shipping services maintained by India with neighbouring countries                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | the details of pending proposals with the Ministry for increasing frequency of existing services or to start services on new routes: (b)                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------|-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Bhutan                | (a) Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|        2 | Nepal                 | Bus: Regular bus services are in operation on the following routes :- a) Kathmandu-Delhi b) Kathmandu-Varanasi c) Mahendranagar - Delhi and d) Pokhara-Delhi Trains: Train services between Kolkata / Haldia ports (in India) and Birgunj (in Nepal) for transit traffic and between stations of Indian Railways and Birgunj (in Nepal) for bilateral traffic are in operation.                            | Proposals for following new routes have been sent to Government of Nepal:- (i) Dehradun-Mahendranagar (ii) Kathmandu-Patna- Bodhgaya (iii) Janakpur-Patna The modalities for operationalizing the above mentioned bus services are being discussed with Government of Nepal.                                                                   |
|        3 | Bangladesh            | Bus - There are following direct bus services between India and Bangladesh:- (i) Dhaka-Kolkata (ii) Dhaka-Agartala (iii) Guwahati - Shillong - Dhaka (iv) Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala Trains - At present there are 3 operational inter-country rail links (broad gauge):- (I) Petrapole (India)-Benapole (Bangladesh) (ii) Gede (India) - Darsana (Bangladesh) (iii) Singhabad (India) - Rohanpur (Bangladesh) | Bus - A new bus service is under consideration between Khulna (Bangladesh) - Kolkata (India) Trains - Three more rail links are proposed to be reopened between India and Bangladesh:- (i) Radhikapur (India) - Birol (Bangladesh) (ii) Karimganj/Mahisanan (India) - Shahbazpur (Bangladesh) (iii) Haldibari (India) - Chilahati (Bangladesh) |

|    |           | Shipping - The Protocol on Inland Water, Trade and Transit (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh permits movement of goods over barges/vessels through the river system of Bangladesh on eight specific routes between India and Bangladesh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | New rail link is to be opened between Akhaura (Bangladesh) - Agartala (India)                                                                                                                                           |
|----|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  4 | Myanmar   | Bus: Nil Trains: Nil Shipping: Shipping Corporation of India started India-Myanmar Shipping Service on October 02, 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Bus: Launch of a new bus service between Imphal and Mandlay has been discussed with the Government of Myanmar                                                                                                           |
|  5 | China     | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|  6 | Pakistan  | Bus: i) Delhi - Lahore via Attari - Wagah border in Punjab ii) Amritsar - Lahore via Attari - Wagah border in Punjab iii) Poonch - Rawalakot travel and trade points across Line of Control in Jammu &Kashmir iv) Uri - Muzaffarabad travel and trade points across Line of Control in Jammu &Kashmir Trains: i) Samjhauta Express train service between Delhi - Lahore via Attari - Wagah border ii) Passenger train between Jodhpur and Karachi via Munabao and Khokhrapar crossing Shipping: Mumbai - Karachi | Bus: India has proposed following additional bus routes under cross LoC Confidence Building Measure (CBM) to Pakistan: i) Jammu - Sialkote ii) Gurez-Astoor-Gilgit iii) Kargil - Skardu Pakistan's response is awaited. |
|  7 | Maldives  | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|  8 | Sri Lanka | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Nil                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

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