Indian Railways has been playing a vital role in strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries – India and Bangladesh. The national transporter is working to promote cross-border rail connectivity and thereby improve trade between the two countries.

 

The Ministry of Railways on Tuesday handed over 20 broad gauge (BG) locomotives to the neighboring country. The move is aimed at a key commitment made during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in October 2019. Earlier in June 2020, India provided 10 locomotives to Bangladesh as a grant. These locomotives are performing well and are contributing to the ease of rail traffic.

 

Significance:-

The supply of BG locomotives will help Dhaka to enhance the operations of passenger as well as freight trains. This will also improve the trade and commerce between the two nations. It will also increase the people-to-people contact and thereby bring the two nations closer to each other. Rail connectivity between India and Bangladesh.

 

The national transporter is working on a full swing to complete and commissioned the two cross border rail connectivity. These are – (a) Akhaura-Agartala and (b) Mahihasan-Shahbazpur. Presently, there are five BG connectivities: Geda- Darsana, Benapole- Petrapole, Singhabad- Rohanpur, Radhikapur- Birol and Haldibari-Chilahati.

Currently, the national transporter operates three pairs of passenger trains between the two nations. These are: Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express, Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express and New Jalpaiguri- Dhaka Mitali Express.

 

Indian Railways – A major exporter of coaches, rakes  

Indian Railways is also emerging as one of the major exporters of coaches and rakes to foreign countries. In March, the national transporter exported 54 loco-halved coaches and 30 DEMU coaches (Cape-gauge) to Mozambique. The export of coaches gives a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and is also a perfect example of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’