India and Bangladesh on Sunday launched common operation of freight trains by way of the Haldibari – Chilahati Rail Route. Indian Railways dispatched the primary freight prepare loaded with stones from Damdim Station of Northeast Frontier Railway to Bangladesh.
After the partition in 1947, 7 rail hyperlinks had been operational between India and the then East Pakistan (up to 1965). Presently, there are 4 operational rail hyperlinks between India and Bangladesh. They’re – Petrapole (India) – Benapole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur (Bangladesh), Radhikapur (India)–Birol (Bangladesh). The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link is one such route which was operational until 1965.
The management of each India and Bangladesh are dedicated to revive all of the pre-1965 railway hyperlinks between the 2 nations. Therefore, the restoration work was undertaken by the railways of each the nations to revive this rail link.
After the restoration, this railway link between Haldibari (India) and Chilahati (Bangladesh) was collectively inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and of Bangladesh through the PM stage digital bilateral summit on 17.12.2020.
The Haldibari – Chilahati rail link is the fifth rail link between India and Bangladesh being made operational from 1st August 2021.
The commodities that may be exported from India to Bangladesh by way of this rail route embody Stones and Boulders, Meals Grain, Recent Fruits, Chemical Fertilizer, Onion, Chilies, Garlic, Ginger, Fly Ash, Clay, Lime Stone, Wooden & Timber and so on. From Bangladesh to India all exportable commodities are permitted.
This rail link coming into operation will strengthen India-Bangladesh Rail Connectivity and bilateral trade. It would additionally improve rail community accessibility to the primary ports and dry ports to help the expansion in regional trade and to encourage financial and social improvement of the area.