Isolated North-east may get a boost of extensive road linkages with neighbouring countries with India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka recommending new pilot sub-regional and regional projects to the SAARC Member States. The proposed road linkages include Birgunj-Kaatihar-Singhabad-Rohanpur-Chittagong with links to Jogbani, Biratnagar and Agartala, besides Agartala-Akhaura-Chittagong, and Kathmandu-Birgunj-Kolkata. Air-connectivity between Malé-New Delhi and Islamabad-New Delhi has also been proposed.

The new projects were recommended by the first meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Transport Ministers. The meeting elected Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, TR Baalu, as chairperson.

The conference was attended by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Second Meeting of the Technical Committee on Transport and meeting of the Intergovernmental Group on Transport preceded this meeting. The SAARC countries deliberated on the Report of the SAARC Regional Multi-modal Transport Study prepared and funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The pilot project also includes proposal for linkages from Phuntsholing to Hashimara, besides procurement of customs related equipment for faster clearance of cargo. Other proposals include rail corridor between Colombo and Chennai, ferry service between Colombo and Cochin and Colombo and Tuticorin as pilot projects.

Addressing the meeting, Baalu said it is inevitable that connectivity was selected as the core theme for the 14th SAARC Summit as against the current forces of market liberalisation and technical advances in communication. “Why should we as members of South-Asia be left behind”, he emphasized.

Baalu said that there should be a focussed list of road, rail, water and aviation corridors, which could be easily implemented. The Minister said that, we should strengthen the air connectivity with the SAARC capitals not yet directly linked to accelerate the connectivity.

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