In a first, a consignment of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reached the Tripura capital today in Bangladeshi trucks after being shipped through Ashuganj river port in the neighbouring country, a senior state government official said.
FCI had sent 5,000 tonnes of food grain from Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh to Kolkata port, from where it was shipped to Ashuganj port, 37 km here, and finally the consignment reached here saving a lot of time and money.
"Today we have received 51 tonnes of food grain out of the total 5,000 tonnes. Three Bangladeshi trucks carrying 17 tonnes in each truck reached Agartala," Superintendent of state Food and Civil Supplies, Dibyendu Chakraborty said.
These trucks reached Nandannagar food godown of the state government directly from Ashugaj with police escorts.
"From tomorrow 20 Bangladeshi trucks, each carrying 17 tonnes, would reach here every day and the entire stock in Ashuganj port would be cleared within five to seven days," Chakraborty told reporters.
As this arrangement has cut down the distance from 1,650 km to 350 km, there would be huge savings in terms of time and money, Tripura Transport Minister Manik De said.
Earlier, such consignments had to travel through north Bengal to Lumding in Assam via broad gauge railway line, and then transhipped into the narrow gauge to Tripura.
"Unloading and reloading is a difficult problem and landslides often create transportation problems," De said, thanking the Bangladeshi authorities.
The Ministry of External Affairs had given its clearance for the movement of Bangladeshi trucks up to Agartala, and truck scanners had been installed at the Akhaura checkpost.
"We have arranged for proper escort of Bangladeshi trucks along with drivers up to the warehouse and during the return journey," De said.
The Bangladesh government has agreed to a request by the Centre to use its waterways up to Ashuganj port from Kolkata to carry 10,000 tonnes of food grains and trucks would be engaged by that country's government.
Bangladesh had allowed India for carrying the same amount of grains last year. But it was Indian trucks that brought the consignment from Bangladesh border to Agartala, he said.
FCI has awarded the contract for transportation of a foodgrains to SARR Freights.
Commenting on successful delivery of the first tranche, SARR Freights Managing Director Sunil Kapoor said in a statement: "The successful accomplishment of FCI pilot project is special achievement as it involved inter-country coordination and usages of different modes of transportation.
