AGARTALA, Feb 24 - If everything falls in the right place, a trial run for transporting goods from Kolkata to Agartala using the Chittagong port of Bangladesh would be conducted by next month, according to sources.
Initially, transport of goods from Kolkata to Agartala would commence through the Agartala Integrated Checkpost (ICP) and Srimantapur LCS (land custom station).
As per plan, ships carrying goods will leave the Kolkata port for Chittagong (Bangladesh) and from Chittagong, the goods will move towards Agartala or Srimantapur through Bangladesh soil.
Agartala ICP sources said goods will be coming from Kolkata to Agartala via Chittagong port till the Feni Bridge in south Tripura�s Sabroom subdivision is made operational.
A high-level team of the Union Ministry of Shipping has already visited Agartala ICP and Srimantapur LCS to take a look at the facilities for transport of goods.
During the visit, they met Transport Secretary L Darlong and informed him about the Centre�s plan.
Meanwhile, the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) has already taken up the Srimantapur LCS to convert it into a full-fledged ICP.
Currently, some states in the North East, including Tripura, bring various essential times from Kolkata through Guwahati, covering almost 1,200 km.
If the trial run is conducted successfully, then traders would be allowed to bring goods from Kolkata via Chittagong port as its distance will be only 600 km.
