Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree Express flagged off
The Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree Express was flagged off on Monday by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, resuming passenger train services between the two neighbouring countries after 43 years.
By PTI |
KOLKATA: The Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree Express was flagged off on Monday by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, resuming passenger train services between the two neighbouring countries after 43 years.
The six-coach train will be a bi-weekly service between Kolkata and Dhaka Cantonment. It will leave Kolkata on Saturdays and Sundays at 7.10 am reaching Dhaka at 10.30 pm.
From Dhaka, it will leave at 8.30 am and will reach Kolkata at 9 pm.
The Indian rake has a capacity of 368 passengers and the Bangladeshi one will have 418 passengers.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Liquat Ali Chowdhury were present at the Kolkata railway terminal in north Kolkata at the flag-off ceremony along with a host of dignitaries.
Before partition, there was a regular over-night service from Kolkata to Goalanda and further upto Dhaka via Narayangunj. At the time of partition, there were three train services from Sealdah to various destinations of the then East Pakistan. These trains - East Bengal Mail, East Bengal Express, Barishal Express - were operational till 1965.
After 1965, there was no passenger rail service between India and the then East Pakistan which later became Bangladesh.
The six-coach train will be a bi-weekly service between Kolkata and Dhaka Cantonment. It will leave Kolkata on Saturdays and Sundays at 7.10 am reaching Dhaka at 10.30 pm.
From Dhaka, it will leave at 8.30 am and will reach Kolkata at 9 pm.
The Indian rake has a capacity of 368 passengers and the Bangladeshi one will have 418 passengers.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Liquat Ali Chowdhury were present at the Kolkata railway terminal in north Kolkata at the flag-off ceremony along with a host of dignitaries.
Before partition, there was a regular over-night service from Kolkata to Goalanda and further upto Dhaka via Narayangunj. At the time of partition, there were three train services from Sealdah to various destinations of the then East Pakistan. These trains - East Bengal Mail, East Bengal Express, Barishal Express - were operational till 1965.
ADVERTISEMENT
After 1965, there was no passenger rail service between India and the then East Pakistan which later became Bangladesh.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
