Mitali Express

The Mitali Express train (Bengali: মিতালী এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which connects the Indian twin-cities Jalpaiguri and Siliguri with the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka every week. It is the third modern-day fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Both the prime ministers of the two neighboring countries officially inaugurated the non-stop passenger train with ten compartments on the new 513 km route from Dhaka on 26 March 2021, the day Bangladesh celebrated the golden jubilee of its independence. The prime minister of India was in Dhaka to mark the auspicious occasion of fifty years of independence of Bangladesh. After 56 years of stoppage, this train route recreates the previous Siliguri route between India and Bangladesh.[2] A valid visa and passport is required beforehand to purchase a ticket for the Mitali Express train. Tickets are available at Cantonment railway station in Dhaka, Bangladesh and at New Jalpaiguri railway station in Siliguri, India.[3]

Mitali Express
Train Board of Mitali Express
Overview
Service typeAC Express,
First service27 March 2021 (2021-03-27)
Current operator(s)Bangladesh Railway, Indian Railways
Route
StartNew Jalpaiguri (NJP)
Stops3 (technical halt only)
EndDhaka Cantonment
Distance travelled524 km (326 mi)[1]
Average journey time11 hours 20 mins
Service frequencyBi-Weekly
Train number(s)13131/13132
On-board services
Class(es)Executive Class (EC)
AC Chair Car (CC)
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesYes
Observation facilitiesLHB rake
Entertainment facilitiesNo
Technical
Track gaugeBroad gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed45.19 km/h (28.08 mph) with halts
Route map
 km
0.0 New Jalpaiguri
 56.5.0 Haldibari
 66.9.0 Chilahati
 134.5.0 Parbatipur
 511.2.0 Dhaka Cantonment

History

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, together with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, jointly flagged off the New Jalpaiguri to Dhaka Mitali Express train service via video conference from Dhaka on 26 March 2021.[4] Prime Minister Modi was in Dhaka to celebrate the fifty years of Independence of Bangladesh.

The train service was inaugurated on the occasion of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary and the golden jubilee (fifty years) of Independence of Bangladesh.[1]

Naming

Railway officials proposed four different names to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the name of the new train. These were Mitali, Sampriti, Suhrid and Bondhu. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chose the name Mitali. Mitali Express similar to Maitree Express and Bandhan Express is a Bengali name. The Bengali word Mitali means Friendship in English (Bengali: বন্ধুত্ব).[5]

Route

The train starts at Dhaka Cantonment railway station on the Bangladesh side, stopping at Parbatipur and Chilahati and then crosses the border to Haldibari. The distance between Dhaka and Chilahati is 453 km and from Chilahati to New Jalpaiguri is 71 km.[1] Two extra coaches are added at Chilhati for passengers travelling from that area to India. The train then crosses the Indian side, stopping at Haldibari before reaching New Jalpaiguri railway station.[6]

While the proposed halts of the train on the Indian side do not include Jalpaiguri town railway-station, there are long-standing demands for a stoppage at Jalpaiguri.

Timings and frequency

Since its inauguration, the Bi-weekly train runs on Mondays and Thursdays from Dhaka Cantonment, and from New Jalpaiguri on Sundays and Wednesdays.[6]

Timings as of now are: –

New Jalpaiguri to Dhaka
Train No.StationArrivalDepartureZone
13131New Jalpaiguri–08:40NFR
Dhaka Cantonment20:00–BR
Dhaka to New Jalpaiguri
Train No.StationArrivalDepartureZone
13132Dhaka Cantonment–07:25BR
New Jalpaiguri18:45–NFR

Coach composition

The train has 10 coaches. 4 AC Cabins, 4 AC Chair Car and 2 power car brake vans.[1]

See also

References
  1. Bhandari, Shashwat (27 March 2021). "PM Modi, Hasina jointly launch new passenger train between India and Bangladesh". India TV. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. "Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri train fare fixed at Tk2,200". Dhaka Tribune. 9 March 2021.
  3. "'Mitali Express' to be announced on Saturday". The Daily Star. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  4. "Hasina and Modi to inaugurate 'Mitali Express' train today". The Business Standard. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  5. "Mitali Express for Jalpaiguri on Monday, Thursday". Daily Bangladesh. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  6. "'Mitali Express' to be announced on Saturday". The Daily Star. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
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