- Maitree Express
-
The Maitree Express (Bengali: মৈত্রী এক্সপ্রেস Hindi: मैत्री एक्सप्रेस Moitri Ekspres) or Dhaka-Kolkata Express is an International passenger train serving the railway connecting the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and India's West Bengal province's capital Kolkata.This is the only railway link between the cities of the two nations and has been revived after being closed for 43 years.[1] The name Maitree Express means the Friendship Express, denoting the significance of the train service to the foreign relations between India and Bangladesh.[2] The inauguration of the train service was held on the occasion of the Bengali New Year (পহেলা বৈশাখ Pôhela Boishakh) April 14, 2008.[3]
Contents
Background
The birth of India and Pakistan in 1947 disrupted rail links in the province of Bengal, which was partitioned into the Indian state of West Bengal and Pakistani province of East Bengal,later renamed as East Pakistan in the year of 1956. During British rule over the undivided land, regular over-night trains connected Kolkata, Goalanda, Dhaka and Narayanganj. These three train services—East Bengal Mail, East Bengal Express and the Barisal Express— continued operation between the two countries until 1965, when the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani Conflict of 1965 led to the closure of the train links.[1] The Bangladesh war of Independence 1971 resulted in the independence of East Pakistan as the nation-state of Bangladesh. All cross border services plied through the same route as the current Maitree Express.
Revival
In 2001, the two national governments agreed upon the railway train scheme during bilateral talks. The train service concept got a major boost during the visit of the Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Dhaka in February, 2007. On July 8, 2007 the first train ran from Kolkata to Dhaka in a test run, carrying Indian government officials who were to meet their Bangladeshi counterparts to finalise train schedules.[4] In response to Indian security demands, a "box-fencing" system will be erected on either side on the no-man's land between the two countries.[5]
2008 inauguration
On April 14, 2008, on the occasion of the Bengali New Year, the train was re-launched with fanfare; the flag-off ceremony for the first train leaving Kolkata from the Kolkata railway station in Chitpur was attended by dignitaries such as the Indian Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the Governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Liquat Ali Chowdhury. The Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee officially flagged-off the inaugural train from Kolkata, bound for Dhaka.[1][5] Another train departed at the same time carrying passengers from Dhaka to Kolkata. But the 360-seater Calcutta-Dhaka Friendship Express on its inaugural run was carrying barely 65 passengers, including journalists and politicians. Indian railway officials state that the train service was launched hurriedly, and that when information would spread there would be a greater response and passenger numbers.[2] An official statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, "The agreement will strengthen bilateral relations and provide an alternative mode of passenger transport."[5]
Protests and bombing plot
The inauguration of the train service has evoked mixed public responses.[2] Thousands of people gathered along the train route from Kolkata up to the border crossing point in Gede to cheer the inaugural train. However, a group representing Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, the Nikhil Banga Nagarik Sangha (All Bengal Citizens Committee) protested the launching of the train service, citing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, possible terrorist infiltration into India and demanding the rehabilitation of Bangladeshi Hindu refugees.[6][7] Police reports stated that 87 people (including 11 women) had been arrested for blocking the train by squatting on the tracks and refusing to move.[2][6][7] Police blamed the group for planting three bombs, which were defused, on the route on April 13, a day before the launch.[2][7]
Route
Maitree Express 
0 km Kolkata 
114 km Gede 
India and Bangladesh Border 130 km Darsana Border 
375 km Dhaka Cant The Maitree Express is the only train which runs between Kolkata (in India) and Dhaka (in Bangladesh).It runs twice in a week from each side.The train travels around 375 kilometers to reach Dhaka from Kolkata.There are two stoppages for immigration checking,one is Gede (Indian side) and another is Darshana (Bangladesh side).It takes around 10-11 hours to cover the entire stretch. Since the Bangladesh side is non-electrified, the entire stretch is covered by broad gauge diesel locomotives.There is a change of crew and locos at Darshana in Bangladesh. There are three major river crossings-Bally Bridge in India over the Ganges,the Hardinge Bridge over lower Ganges and the Jamuna Multiputpose Bridge over Jamuna River, the last two being in Bangladesh.
The Indian train consists of Indian locos & coaches. The Bangladesh train consists of Indonesian sourced coaches & Indian sourced locos. The services is reliable and punctual and is clearly superior to the Kolkata Dhaka bus services due to cheaper tickets and no need for long ferry ride 1-3 hours depending on traffic over the Padma. The terminal points are Dhaka Cantonment and Kolkata Stations respectively.Neither are junctions nor true terminal stations- it is possible to continue by local train to Kamalapur from Dhaka Cantonment. From Kolkata, the nearest subway (metro) station is Shyambazar- a distance of 2 km.
Train service
- Timing
Train No. Name Type From Departure To Arrival Travel Time Dep.Days Classes Distance 13100 Maitree Express IR Exp. Dhaka Cantt 08:10 AM Kolkata 18:10 PM 10h 30m Wednesday II,2S,CC,1A 375 Km 13109 Maitree Express IR Exp. Kolkata 07:10 AM Dhaka Cantt 18:05 PM 10h 50m Tuesday II,2S,CC,1A 375 Km 13108 Maitree Express BR Exp. Kolkata 07:10 AM Dhaka Cantt 18:05 PM 10h 50m Saturday II,2S,CC,1A 375 Km 13107 Maitree Express BR Exp. Dhaka Cantt 08:10 AM Kolkata 18:10 PM 10h 30m Friday II,2S,CC,1A 375 Km - [For train running information log on http://indiarailinfo.com or http://erail.in/erail2.htm ]
Tentative Ticket Prices:2nd Class Sitting INR300, AC Chair Car INR 580 1st AC Sleeper INR 850. On the Dhaka to Kolkata leg an additional travel tax of Taka 300 is applicable.
Diplomacy
The development of the Kolkata-Dhaka train service is akin to that of the Samjhauta Express (also meaning "Friendship" or "Accord" Express), which connects the Indian capital Delhi to Lahore in Pakistan. Both train services were opened to revive rail links between the countries that were disrupted by the partition of India in 1947, and both have been used as symbols of goodwill and cooperation between India and Bangladesh, and India and Pakistan.
Challenges
Currently the Maitree Express runs at 50% occupancy-this is essentially due to limited runs (twice a week in each direction) and the terminal stations in both Kolkata & Dhaka being on the city outskirts. There is also a lack of publicity on the train services by both BD Railway & Indian Railways leading to passengers opting for the more stressful (and time consuming) road journey.
Booking
Online booking through IRCTC website is not available. Tickets are available against local currency at booking counters below.Return tickets are not available. While applying for visa it is essential to specify port of entry as "By rail-Gede" (for Indian Visa) or "By rail-Darshana" (for BD Visa).Tickets will be issued only after issue of visa, passports must be shown while booking. In case all passengers are not present, an authorisationn is required while booking tickets.
Tickets are available in Dhaka from the Kamalapur Main Reservation Counter only.In Kolkata tickets may be purchased from the International Ticket Booking Counter at Fairlie Place, Dalhousie and also at the Kolkata Station. NB:Kolkata station counter is open only on the days of arrival of train from Dhaka ie Wednesday & Friday from 1800-2200 hours. Fairlie Place Counter is open on all days from 1000-1800 hours.
Historical India Bangladesh Rail links
The complete rail links between India & Bangladesh : a) Western Frontier : 1. Darsana (BD) - Gede (India) - Maitree and Freight trains, 2. Benapole (BD) - Petrapole (India) - Freight only, 3. Rohanpur (BD) - Singhabad (India) - Freight, 4. Birol (BD) - Radhikapur (India) - Previously freight, currently discontinued as India converted gauge to BG from MG. b) Northern Frontier : 5. Chilahati (BD) - Haldibari (India) - The rail tracks have been removed on BD side. 6. Burimari (BD) - Changrabandha (India)also discontinued. c) Eastern Frontier : 7. Shahbazpur (BD) - Mahishasan (India) - MG line exist but discontinued. 8. Akhaura (BD) - Agartala (India) -New line being developed by IRCON, cost to be borne by India.
References
- ^ a b c "Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree Express flagged off". The Times of India (Times Internet Limited). 14 April 2008. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata-Dhaka_train_service_resumes_after_43_years/articleshow/2950159.cms. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b c d e "Dhaka-Calcutta train link resumes". BBC News (BBC). 14 April 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7345724.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ "A Report from Dhaka to Kolkata on the first operation day". BBC News, watching available by Windows Media Player. http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/world/video/166000/bb/166080_16x9_bb.asx?ad=1&ct=50. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
- ^ Sudworth, John (8 July 2007). "First India-Bangladesh train link". BBC News (BBC). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6281710.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b c "Kolkata-Dhaka train service to resume on Bengali New Year". The Times of India (Times Internet Limited). 12 April 2008. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Indo-Bangla_train_service_from_Bengali_New_Year/articleshow/2945997.cms. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b Bhaumik, Subir (9 April 2008). "Excitement mounts over train link". BBC News (BBC). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7338284.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b c "Moitree Express resumes journey after brief halt". The Times of India (Times Internet Limited). 14 April 2008. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Moitree_Express_resumes_journey_after_a_halt/articleshow/2950302.cms. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
External links
- For train information
- For Indian Visa Information
- (Refer- High Commission of India in Dhaka, Maitree Express Section)
- (Refer High Commission of Bangladsh in Kolkata for BD Visa Form)
Categories:- Named passenger trains of India
- Named passenger trains of Bangladesh
- International named passenger trains
- Rail transport in Bangladesh
- Transport in Kolkata
- Bangladesh–India relations
- 2008 introductions
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