India to implement BBIN pact

New Delhi, Oct. 15: India has embarked on implementation of the BBIN motor pact with Bangladesh and Nepal, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday.

India in June 2015 had signed the major subregional transport project, Bangladesh-BhutanIndia-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA), for seamless transit of passenger and cargo vehicles among them. However, Bhutan could not get public and parliamentary support for it.

“We have initiated action for implementation of BBIN MVA by Bangladesh, India and Nepal. This has been taken up with the ministry of external affairs for coordinating with other two countries,” Mr Gadkari told PTI.

The minister said that Bhutan has suggested that Bangladesh, India and Nepal may consider implementation of the MVA.

Bhutan which had inked the pact could not get public and parliamentary support for ratification of the agreement while India, Bangladesh and Nepal have already ratified the pact.

The four SAARC countries had in June 2015 signed the Motor Vehicle Agreement. It aims at allowing motor vehicles of all categories registered in three countries to move freely in the region.

The government has earlier said that the pact will realise the ultimate objective of free movement of people and goods in the region and said that this would be supplemented through building and upgrading roads, railways and waterways infrastructure.