India, B'desh resume freight trains

New Delhi: To strengthen the trade relations between the two nations, after 56 years, the regular operations of freight trains resumed between India and Bangladesh on Sunday.

The first good train reached Chilahati station in Bangladesh from Damdim station of Alipurduar Division in Northeast Frontier Railway zone (NFR). The rail service reopened Haldibari – Chilahati rail link between two neighbouring countries.

The goods train carried stone chips. This rail link is also expected to provide northeast India with an opportunity to enter the international market. The rail link will provide a shorter route for the transit of goods into Bangladesh from Assam, West Bengal, Nepal and Bhutan.

This rail link was operational till 1965 and was part of the Broad Gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri during partition.

After partition in 1947, seven rail links were operational between India and erstwhile East Pakistan (up to 1965). Recently, there were four operational rail links between India and Bangladesh e.g. Petrapole (India) - Benapole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India) - Rohanpur (Bangladesh), Radhikapur (India) – Birol (Bangladesh). The fifth rail link was made functional in December last year during a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.

The distance between Haldibari railway station and the international border is 4.5 km, while the distance from Chilhati is about 7.5 km.

"In pursuance of the joint declaration in the Inter-Governmental Railway Meeting (IGRM) held in Delhi in May 2015, Railway Board sanction for construction of a new Broad Gauge line from Haldibari station to Bangladesh Border for connection with Chilahati (Bangladesh) in 2016-17 in order to reopen this erstwhile rail link. Indian Railways has restored the tracks up to the international border from Haldibari station at a cost of Rs 82.72 crores," a ministry statement mentioned.

"Bangladesh Railways has also accordingly undertaken up-gradation and laying of missing tracks on their side from Chilahati station to international border. On the Bangladesh side Chilahati – Parbatipur – Santahar - Darshana existing line is already in Broad Gauge," it added.

This rail link will also enhance rail network access to the main ports, dry ports and land borders to support the growth in regional trade and to encourage economic and social development of the region.

"Economic activities of these South Asian countries will also be benefitted from this new rail link," the ministry source asserted.