PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 1.9 km long ‘Maitri Setu' bridge between India and Bangladesh

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (March 9, 2021) inaugurated the 'Maitri Setu' between India and Bangladesh, a bridge built over the Feni river, via videoconferencing.

“Opening of any bridge is testimony to Bangladesh govt's continued commitment to support our neigbour India in strengthening connectivity in the region, particularly for Northeast India,” said Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina during launch of ‘Maitri Setu’ bridge via videoconference. 

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates ‘Maitri Setu’ built over Feni river between India and Bangladesh via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/iXv05pvFwN

— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2021

The name ‘Maitri Setu' symbolizes growing bilateral relations and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh, the PMO said. The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd at a project cost of Rs 133 crore, Prime Minister's Office said.

The 1.9 km long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. It is poised to herald a new chapter for trade and people to people movement between India and Bangladesh, the PMO said.

It will help ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries, provide new market opportunities for products of North-East states and assist seamless movement of passengers to and from India and Bangladesh, the PMO said.

"Tripura, which was pushed back by the strike culture for many years, is now working for Ease of Doing Business. Where industries had come to the brink of closure, there is now space for new industries & investments," said PM Narendra Modi.

With this inauguration, Tripura is set to become the ‘Gateway of North East' with access to Chittagong Port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 km from Sabroom, it said. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post at Sabroom.