East Bengal Express

East Bengal Express
Overview
Service type Railway train
Route
Start Sealdah
End Goalundo Ghat
Service frequency Daily
Technical
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)

The East Bengal Express was a railway train that was one of three train services running between India and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). The railway link was suspended at the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Sealdah-Goalundo Line

Track gauge: Broad gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Legend
Sealdah
Ranaghat
to Lalgola
Gede
India-Bangladesh border
Darshana
to Jessore
Poradah
to Hardinge Bridge
Kushtia
Gorai-Madhumati River
to Faridpur
Goalundo Ghat

Overview

Prior to 1965, when armed conflict broke out between India and Pakistan, rail links existed between India and East Pakistan. Three trains ran between the two countries carrying goods and passengers: (1) East Bengal Express between Sealdah and Goalundo Ghat via Gede-Darshana (2) East Bengal Mail between Sealdah and Parbatipur Junction via Gede-Darshana, and (3) Barisal Express between Sealdah and Khulna via Petrapole-Benapole.[1][2]

History

Eastern Bengal Railway opened the line from Calcutta to Goalundo, on the southern bank of the Padma in 1871.[3]

Goalundo

Here is a brief on the importance of Goalundo Ghat in earlier years: “If one goes from Calcutta to Dacca the rail journey is broken at Goalundo and from there to Narayanganj is continued by steamer. The night mail from Calcutta deposits one at Goalundo in the early hours of the morning... It (Goalundo) is situated at the junction of the Padma, or Ganges, and the Brahmaputra, and daily services of steamers connect it with the railway systems at Narayanganj and Chandpur, and with the steamer services to Madaripur, Barisal, Sylhet, and Cachar. There are also daily services of steamers up the Padma to Digha Ghat in the dry season, and Buxar in the rains, and up the Brahmaputra to Dibrugarh. From that it will be seen that Goalundo occupies a very strong strategic position in the waterways of Bengal, a position which has been made much stronger by railway development.” [4]

References

  1. Sangeeta Thapliyal. "India-Bangladesh Transportation Links: A Move for Closer Cooperation". Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  2. "Geography - International". IRFCA. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  3. R.P.Saxena. "Indian Railway History timeline". Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  4. "Goalundo Ghat - From the Hooghly to the Himalayas (1913)". IRFCA. Retrieved 2011-12-10.


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