In a major step in increasing connectivity and boosting bilateral trade Bangladesh and India have introduced the first container train services between them.
While passenger and goods trains run between the two countries, this is the first time that a container service will begin.
Exporters’ forums had long been lobbying for container trains as they could save time and trade costs significantly apart from making trade safer and more organised.
Smt Manasi Banerjee, one of the senior–most employee of CONCOR flagging off the trial run of first container train between India & Bangaldesh from Container Terminus at Kolkata. © Indian Railways / Twitter
Container trains are usually used to ferry machine parts, chemicals, automobiles and consumer durables that involve a shorter transit time.
Exporters’ forums had long been lobbying for container trains as they could save time and trade costs significantly apart from making trade safer and more organised
If successful, the service would drastically reduce the transportation time,” said senior officials. The Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), a PSU under the railway ministry will handle the logistics of the container service.
The trial run of the first 60–container train was flagged off from the terminus of the Container Corporation of India (Concor), near Majherhat station in Kolkata. The containers carried mainly de-oiled cake, which is used as raw material for animal feed.
The train will run through Naihati, Ranaghat and Gede in India and Darsana and Ishurdi in Bangladesh before reaching Bangabandhu Bridge West, about 117 km from Dhaka.
Dhaka and New Delhi are hopeful that this will pave the way for introducing regular container train services between the two friendly neighbours.
This will also reduce exporters’ dependence on road – based transportation through Petrapole – Benapole border besides reducing time for transportation of goods. ■
© PTI