ONGC road project to connect Agartala and Bangladesh port

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has undertaken a project of Rs 25 crore to build a 50 km road from Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh to Agartala and develop the port, a company top brass said today.

"This 50 km road is the new Silk Route for connecting Bangladesh with India’s North-East which would boost trade and commerce between the country and the Indian region," ONGC chairman and managing director RS Sharma said.

ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC), a new subsidiary of ONGC, has signed an MoU with the government of Bangladesh last month to open up a transport corridor to carry heavy equipment for its 726 MW power plant to be installed at Palatana in South Triupra, Sharma said.

ONGC has engaged six Bangladeshi contractors to construct the roads and develop a jetty in the river port and the Roads and Highways Department of Bangladesh would supervise the works, he said adding the works were expected to be completed by February 2011.