Steel bars reach Agartala from Kolkata via Bangladesh

In a significant move aimed at significantly reducing transportation costs, 1,004.41 tonnes of steel bars were transported to Agartala from Kolkata through Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
The development follows signing of a new Protocol on Inland Waterways Transit & Trade (PIWTT) between both the nations on June 6, aimed at promoting cargo and goods transportation between the nations.
"In a significant move recently, the above route witnessed the transit of 1004.410 MT (metric tonne) of Steel and TMT bars from Kolkata to Agartala via Ashuganj, Bangladesh," Ministry of Shipping said in a statement.
It said vessel MV Newtek-6 sailed from Kolkata with steel and TMT bars on June 2 and reached Ashuganj (Bangladesh) on June 14 and was brought to Agartala through Akhuara Border on June 20.

Transit and other fees as mutually agreed under the said protocol was paid at Khulna, Bangladesh, it added.
Ashuganj in Bangladesh was declared as "Port of Call" under the Protocol on Inland Waterways Transit & Trade (PIWTT) in May, 2010 for transshipment of bulk and break cargo to Tripura and other North-Eastern States viz. Manipur, Mizoram and lower Assam.
"During the visit of Prime Minister to Bangladesh, a new version of PIWTT which allows for automatic renewal every five years was signed at Dhaka on June 6 between India and Bangladesh. This route not only significantly reduces the circuitous distance of chicken-neck corridor (Siliguri) between mainland India and states in North-Eastern region but also reduces the overall transportation cost of the cargo considerably," the statement said.

Earlier, movement of Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC) on ONGC for Palatana Power Project and food grains were also transported to Tripura via Ashuganj inland port by Food Corporation of India, it added.