Agartala, Jan. 18: The long-awaited extension of broad-gauge rail line on a 44km stretch from Agartala to Udaipur in Gomati district of Tripura is finally scheduled to be inaugurated on January 23 - birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - at 11am.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu will inaugurate the trains from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh by pressing a button.

"That day two pairs of trains will run between Agartala and Udaipur as all facilities are ready," the deputy general manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway, B.N. Bhaskar, said.

He said according to the schedule finalised by the Railway Board, the Agartala-Sabroom railway line covering a distance of 114km, is expected to be inaugurated latest by March 2020. Bhaskar said as the 44km Agartala-Udaipur line is already completed, the distance to be covered up to Sabroom will be 70km.

Sabroom is Tripura's southernmost subdivision bordering the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

"The process is almost clear, but as the track up to Sabroom from Udaipur will meander through Trishna wildlife sanctuary, a final clearance from the Union ministry of forest and environment would be required. This is going to be granted soon," Bhaskar said.

He added that the extension of railway line on a 15km stretch between Agartala and Akhaura in Bangladesh is facing land acquisition problems.

"The track will be extended from Agartala to Gangasagar in Bangladesh. There are unresolved land acquisition problems on the stretch though the West Tripura administration has agreed to hand over the entire land by March," Bhaskar said.

He added that IRCON, an authorised company of Indian Railways for track laying and construction, has started work.

The official said the DoNER ministry had already sanctioned Rs 80 crore for land acquisition payment. "The total project cost, initially calculated, was Rs 250 crore. Due to delay in execution, the cost has escalated," Bhaskar said, adding that the work would be completed soon.

Sarkar meets Prabhu: Chief minister Manik Sarkar today met Prabhu at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi.

According to information released by the chief minister's office, Sarkar pressed for increase in the number of long-distance trains from Agartala, upgrade of facilities at all stations and setting up of a railway division in Tripura.

Sarkar also requested Prabhu for early completion of railway connectivity up to Sabroom to ensure direct road link with Bangladesh's Chittagong port.

Prabhu is stated to have assured him that he will ensure speedy work.