Wagah model for Agartala-Akhaura border with Bangladesh

The union tourism ministry has sanctioned a Tripura government project to create infrastructure along India-Bangladesh border similar to that at the Wagah border with Pakistan, a minister said here on Saturday.

"Wagah-like infrastructure, including a mini-stadium, would be created at the Agartala (India)-Akhaura (Bangladesh) border to organise Beating Retreat ceremony," Tripura Tourism Minister Ratan Bhowmik told reporters.

"Under the tourism ministry's 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme, the union government has sanctioned Rs.99 crore to implement a few tourism projects in Tripura, including the building of a mini-stadium and other infrastructure in the Agartala-Akhaura border."

The Agartala-Akhaura check post is the second largest trading point between India and Bangladesh after Benapole and Petrapole with West Bengal.

The Beating Retreat ceremony, which marks closing of the Wagah border near Amritsar every evening, is a military routine that the India-Pakistan border guards - the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers - have jointly conducted since 1959.

People travel specially to the border to witness the ceremony in which the flags of the two countries are lowered by the security personnel with a number of aggressive gestures and a mutually coordinated performance.

The minister said that a musical fountain at Ujjayanta Palace, introduction of battery operated car at Sipahijala wild life zoo and sanctuary and development of Dambur lake would be undertaken.

Northeast India's biggest museum was set up at the historic Ujjayanta Palace, the former royal palace of Tripura`s Manikya kings, which served as the state legislative assembly until 2011.