The Mitali Express (13131/13132) train (Bengali: মিতালী এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which connects the Indian city of Siliguri with the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka every week. Together with the Maitree Express train and the Bandhan Express train, the Mitali Express train 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 neighbouring 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 Dhaka Kamalapur railway station in Dhaka, Bangladesh and at New Jalpaiguri railway station in Siliguri, India.[3][4]
 Train Board of Mitali Express | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Service type | AC Express | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First service | 1 June 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator(s) | Northeast Frontier Railway zone of Indian Railways & Bangladesh Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri (NJP) Dhaka Cantonment (DHCA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stops | 3 (2 technical halts) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance travelled | 524 km (326 mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average journey time | 10 hours 15 mins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | Bi-Weekly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train number(s) | 13131/13132 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On-board services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class(es) | AC Chair Car (CC) First AC (1A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catering facilities | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observation facilities | LHB coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entertainment facilities | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | Broad gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 51.12 km/h (31.76 mph) with halts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Though the train was inaugurated on 26 March 2021, but in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, its commercial run was postponed since its inauguration.[5] However, the train made its first commercial run and resumed normal operations on 1 June 2022.[6][7]
History
editThe 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.[8] Prime Minister Narendra 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]
However, the train could not be operated till June 2022 since its inauguration due to COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions. On 1 June 2022, Minister of Railways of India Ashwini Vaishnaw and his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Nurul Islam Sujon from Delhi flagged off its first commercial run through video conference from Indian Railways Board's Conference Room at New Delhi, India.[9][10]
Naming
editRailway 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).[11]
Route
editThe 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 Chilahati for passengers travelling from that area to India. The train then crosses the Indian side, stopping at Haldibari before reaching New Jalpaiguri railway station.[12]
While the proposed halts of the train on the Indian side do not include Jalpaiguri railway station, there are long-standing demands for a stoppage at Jalpaiguri town.[citation needed]
Fares
editThe fare is expected to be calculated on the basis of US Dollars. Though at the New Jalpaiguri station, the transactions will be made using Indian rupee. The ticket fare for a particular month will be decided on the basis of the exchange rate of Indian rupee with US Dollars on the first day of that month. As the train will solely be operated and maintained by Indian Railways, the rates of ticket fare will also be at their discretion. A 5% GST will be added to basic fare as well.[13] In India, the tickets will be available at the dedicated PRS counter of New Jalpaiguri railway station,Guwahati Railway Station and Kolkata railway station.[7]
Timings and frequency
editSince its inauguration, the Bi-weekly train runs on Sundays and Wednesdays from New Jalpaiguri and on Mondays and Thursdays from Dhaka Cantonment.[12][6] However the stoppages at Haldibari and Chilahati are technical halts only. Passengers boarding or deboarding are not allowed at these two stations.
Timings as of now are: –
| Train No. | Station | Arrival | Departure | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13132 | New Jalpaiguri | – | 11:45 IST | NFR |
| Haldibari | 12:55 IST | 13:05 IST | ||
| Chilahati | 13:55 BST | 14:25 BST | BR | |
| Dhaka Cantonment | 22:30 BST | – |
| Train No. | Station | Arrival | Departure | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13131 | Dhaka Cantonment | – | 21:50 BST | BR |
| Chilahati | 05:45 BST | 06:15 BST | ||
| Haldibari | 06:00 IST | 06:30 IST | NFR | |
| New Jalpaiguri | 07:15 IST | – |
Coach composition
editPure LHB coach in red-grey (used by Rajdhani Expresses) and sky blue-grey (used by Shatabdi Expresses) manufactured in India, are used for this train. The train has 10 coaches. 4 AC Executive Class, 4 AC Chair Car and 2 power car brake vans.[1][7]
- Legends
| LRM/GD/EOG/SLR | H- | C- |
|---|---|---|
| Generator cum luggage van | Executive Chair (EC) | AC Chair Car (CC) |
- Rake composition of 13132 New Jalpaiguri to Dhaka
| Loco | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
EOG | H1 | H2 | H3 | H4 | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | EOG |
- while 13131 Dhaka to New Jalpaiguri has reverse rake composition of 13132.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Bhandari, Shashwat (27 March 2021). "PM Modi, Hasina jointly launch new passenger train between India and Bangladesh". India TV. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri train fare fixed at Tk2,200". Dhaka Tribune. 9 March 2021.
- ^ "'Mitali Express' to be announced on Saturday". The Daily Star. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ "India To Bangladesh : মিতালি এক্সপ্রেস জুড়লো ভারত- বাংলাকে , ৫৭ বছর পর সম্পর্কের শিকড় হল আরও মজবুত". The Bengali Chronicle (in Bengali). 3 June 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Mitali Express: Third India-Bangladesh train service to begin from THIS date". DNA India. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b "India-Bangladesh Train Service Begins From June". www.india.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b c "Mitali Express: Third India-Bangladesh passenger train to run from today". Livemint. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Hasina and Modi to inaugurate 'Mitali Express' train today". The Business Standard. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka Mitali Express flagged off". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Third India-Bangladesh Passenger Train, Mitali Express, Flagged Off Today". NDTV.com. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ "Mitali Express for Jalpaiguri on Monday, Thursday". Daily Bangladesh. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ a b "'Mitali Express' to be announced on Saturday". The Daily Star. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ রায়, অনির্বাণ. "Mitali Express: মিতালী এক্সপ্রেস ট্রেনের ভাড়া হবে আমেরিকান ডলারের হিসেবে". www.anandabazar.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022.