In a first, Rs 4,600-cr rail projects to link India with Bhutan

In a historic step to deepen ties with Bhutan, India on Monday announced the launch of two cross-border railway projects that will, for the first time, connect the Himalayan kingdom with the Indian Railways network.

In a joint presser with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 69-km Kokrajhar-Gelephu and 20-km Banarhat-Samtse projects, worth Rs 4,600 crore, would serve as vital trade and passenger links, unlocking new economic opportunities for both nations.

“This will provide a seamless gateway for Bhutan to the 1,50,000-km-long Indian railway grid, cutting travel time from days to hours and catalysing industrial growth and tourism,” said Vaishnaw, adding the lines would be fully electrified and designed for Vande Bharat trains.

Responding to a question whether this railway project should be seen as a counter measure to China extending its railway network right up to the border areas of Tibet, Misri said when it comes to the border -- specifically the areas through which these railway lines will pass -- there is no involvement of any third country.

Misri also underscored the strategic importance of the projects, calling them “a first-of-its-kind initiative” that strengthens not just trade, but also cultural and developmental ties. The Gelephu line will support Bhutan’s flagship “Mindfulness City” project, while Samtse is emerging as a major industrial hub exporting minerals like dolomite and ferro-silicon to India.

Of the total cost, the Indian Railways will fund work on its territory, while the Ministry of External Affairs will finance construction within Bhutan as part of India’s Rs 10,000-crore development package for Thimphu’s 13th Five-Year Plan.

The Kokrajhar–Gelephu stretch, involving 29 major bridges, six stations and two viaducts, will take four years to complete, while the Banarhat–Samtse link is expected within three years.

“In Banarhat-Samtse project, Bhutanese side is about 2.13 km, while 17.42-km stretch would be in India. In case of Gelephu, 2.39-km track will be in Bhutan and 66.66 km in India,” Vaishnaw said.

Officials stressed that advanced environmental safeguards -- including elephant corridors and flood-resilient structures -- are being built into the designs.

Both goods and passenger trains will run on the new routes, opening Bhutan to India’s ports, markets and regional transport corridors under the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) framework. “These projects are not just about railways; they are about reimagining connectivity, trade and friendship,” Misri said.

The Foreign Secretary also held wide-ranging consultations with his Bhutanese counterpart, Aum Pema Choden, to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials, both sides welcomed the successful commissioning of all six units of the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project, describing it as a landmark achievement under the India-Bhutan joint vision on energy partnership.