First trial run held for Indo-Bangla container train service

Kolkata: The first trial run of the container train between India and Bangladesh was held in Kolkata on Tuesday morning.

Manasi Banerjee, one of the senior-most employees of CONCOR, flagged off the train in presence of Harindra Rao, General Manager, Eastern Railway and Kalyan Rama, CMD, CONCOR (Container Corporation of India Limited).

Suchitto Kumar Das, Additional General Manager, Eastern Railway and Basudev Panda, Divisional Railway Manager, Sealdah, were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Rao said that the passenger and goods train services are being regularly run between the two countries. This is for the first time that a container train from India will run between India and Bangladesh.

The need for container service between these two countries has been felt by the exporters, as it has certain benefits like substantial time saving, safe transit, cost effectiveness and single window solution. It will also make trade safer and significantly organised in comparison to capacity constraints of the sea and land routes.

He further said that this container service will have a wider impact on bilateral trade and will lead to further boost in the peace and harmony between the two neighbouring countries.

The first container train to Bangladesh, consisting of 30 wagons, carries 60 containers of soyabean extract and will run via Majerhat-Naihati-Ranaghat-Gede in India and Darsana-Ishurdi-Bangabandhu West in Bangladesh. Bangabandhu West in Bangladesh is 117 km from Dhaka but much closer to industrial hubs around Dhaka.