India to build first railway links with Bhutan via Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Samtse-Banarhat

India and Bhutan have embarked on a landmark infrastructure initiative that will, for the first time, connect the Bhutanese towns of Gelephu and Samtse with the Indian railway network.

The two proposed rail links — Kokrajhar to Gelephu and Banarhat to Samtse—are expected to be built at a total cost of Rs 4,033 crore.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri presented the project details, underlining both its economic and strategic importance. Gelephu is being developed as a “mindfulness city,” while Samtse is an industrial hub.

The Kokrajhar-Gelephu line will connect Bongaigaon, a significant industrial centre in Assam, via Kokrajhar, which will serve as a regional junction. Approximately 70 km of new track will be constructed in this section.

In the Banarhat-Samtse section, the stretch is about 16 km connecting West Bengal with Bhutan. Together, these lines will give Bhutan access to India’s 150,000-km railway network.

The agreement is part of commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan in March 2024, where both countries agreed to establish these two rail links.

Indian officials emphasized that the rail connectivity will boost trade, facilitate smoother transport, and promote development in Bhutan while deepening India-Bhutan cooperation rooted in cultural, security, and economic ties.

The project also ties into Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2024-29), under which India has increased its developmental assistance and pledged more than Rs 10,000 crore to support high-impact community and infrastructure development in Bhutan.