Completion of Engine trial @RailMinIndia from Haldibari to Bangladesh International Border ushers Hope in the mind of locals .
Jalpaiguri: Septuagenarian Ashim Chakraborty is always in an ecstatic mood while narrating stories from his childhood. He has vivid memories of almost everything.
So when a locomotive from New Jalpaiguri station reached Haldibari station on Wednesday and continued its onward journey towards the Bangladesh border, it revived many memories of the train that used to then ply between India and East Pakistan. Wednesday’s loco operation was a test run for the Haldibari-Chilahati railway route...
more... that had shut down in 1965 and is now about to be revived.
Haldibari is a town in Bengal’s Cooch Behar district while Chilahati is a border station in Bangladesh, situated in Nilphamari district. Chakraborty wasn’t alone to witness the trial run. Hundreds from adjoining towns and villages turned up to witness history being rewritten . Indian Railways has already built 4.5km new track from Haldibari staion to the border. Bangladesh Railways now needs to complete the remaining 7.5km from the border to Chilahati station for train services to resume.
In 2011, India and Bangladesh had inked a pact during Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India for opening new rail links.
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