First goods train on revived Haldibari-Chilahati rail link

ANI
01 Aug 2021, 09:07 GMT+10

Alipurduar (West Bengal) [India], August 1 (ANI): The first goods train carrying stone chips to Bangladesh through the revived Haldibari-Chilahati rail link departed from Damdim station of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal on Saturday.

With this, the commercial services on the railway link between India and Bangladesh, which had been defunct since 1965, have started.

The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link between India and then East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) was operational till 1965. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the rail link.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regular train services could not be started on the section.

"The first goods train carrying stone chips to Bangladesh through the revived Haldibari --Chilahati rail link leaves from Damdim station of Alipurduar Division in NFR (Northeast Frontier Railway) on 31.07.2021," the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in a statement said.

The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link was part of the broad gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri but the war of 1965 effectively cut off all the railway links.

The rail link will provide a shorter route for the transit of goods into Bangladesh from Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, and Bhutan, the NFR said.

This rail link will 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 statement read. (ANI)

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Nepal National.

More Information

null in null

Business

Section

AI saves $500 million for Microsoft as layoffs reshape strategy

REDMOND, Washington: Artificial intelligence is transforming Microsoft's bottom line. The company saved over US$500 million last year...

FTC’s rule to ease subscription cancellations struck down by court

WASHINGTON, D.C.: A federal rule designed to make it easier for Americans to cancel subscriptions has been blocked by a U.S. appeals...

Musk’s X loses CEO Linda Yaccarino amid AI backlash, ad woes

BASTROP, Texas: In a surprising turn at Elon Musk's X platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down, just months after...

Ex-UK PM Sunak takes advisory role at Goldman Sachs

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak will return to Goldman Sachs in an advisory role, the Wall Street...

Gold ETF inflows hit 5-year high as tariffs drive safe-haven bets

LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...

PwC: Copper shortages may disrupt 32 percent of chip output by 2035

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...

Southeast Asia

Section