The formation of a South Asian Rail Agency : more than a pipe dream?

Railway Expert And Commentator

Lalit Chandra Trivedi

THE European Union Agency for Railways ( ERA) based in France, is helping to integrate European railway systems by making trains safer and able to cross national borders without stopping.

Since 2006, the ERA has worked to develop economically viable common technical standards and safety measures and targets in co-peration with the rail sector, national authorities, EU institutions and other bodies; reported on rail safety in the EU; and, led efforts to create uniform signalling standards throughout Europe.

The map of British India Railway shows the rail network connectivity that existed in British India which largely comprises today’s South Asia. Major cities in Pakistan and Bangladesh were having through connectivity. With Kabul in Afghanistan close to Peshawar, Kathmandu capital of Nepal close to Raxaul in Bihar and Ledo (where Lord Mountbatten commanding officers of the British Indian Army were based) in Nagaland and south east tip of Bangladesh Rail network at the door step of Myanmar

Lots of additions to this rail network post-independence have taken place in all the countries. If ERA type coordination forum for a rail system connecting old British India rail network system is revived it will be a major booster to trade among countries of Indian subcontinent. During

British rule in India. the whole rail network of these countries, in spite of belonging to several private and government companies, used to be governed by a single central authority with uniform codal provisions.

If Myanmar Rail network gets connections to Pakistan via Bangladesh and India with feeder lines to Nepal and Afghanistan sub-continental trade will get a major boost paving the way to ultimate rail connectivity from Hanoi in Vietnam to Istanbul in Turkey.

In fact if the rail network at Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu is connected via a 20 km rail cum road bridge with the Sri lankan network, then the Indian subcontinent too can boast of rail union as it exists in European countries.

Similar advantages can be reaped in our subcontinent too. Like Euro Rail pass a similar authority can be made available to permit seamless travel among subcontinental countries .

Some may call it a pipe dream based on the geopolitical situation of today. These people only need to peep into pre-holocaust days of European continent when enmity level among European countries were at a peak.

Today, the same countries have formed a formidable seamless rail network helping the Eurozone economy to forge ahead.