External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has written to Cooch Behar MP Partha Pratim Ray on re-establishing railway connectivity with Bangladesh.
In a letter to Mr. Ray, Ms. Swaraj said that Government is fully committed to re-establishing all forms of transport connectivity with Bangladesh. The MP had raised the issue of reintroducing connectivity between Gitaldah to Kolkata via Lalmonirhat and Parbatipur in Bangladesh during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
In a two-page letter addressed to MP on December 5, Ms Swaraj has given details about the status of different routes in the stretch from Gitaldah to Kolkata via Bangladesh. In certain sections the meter gauge line has to be converted into dual gauge.
“The railway line was very much in operation till 1955, the railway link existed when there were talks between India and Pakistan for resumption. Later the government had disbanded this route as the talks were not successful,” Mr Ray told The Hindu .
He said the once the railway services between Gitaldah and Kolkata via Bangladesh resume, it will greatly reduce the time spent by passengers of north Bengal in reaching Kolkata. According to the MP, improving Railway connectivity with Bangladesh will make northeast more easily accessible to the country.
Railway services between Darsana (Bangladesh) to Gede ( India) are in operation and the train connecting the two is called Maitree Express
