Bangladesh, India to Pilot Cargo Railway Service
13 July 2017
Bangladesh and India will pilot a freight train service between Dhaka and Kolkata in August, using the broad gauge railway connection from Gede, India, to Darshana, Bangladesh, to assess the feasibility of rail cargo services between the two countries. The trial run will also establish the safety of a loaded container train on the 5-kilometer (km) long Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge.
This initiative could potentially reduce the cost of Bangladesh-India trade, and reduce congestion in the 70-km stretch of road from Kolkata to Petrapole. Containerized cargo via rail is also less costly -- cheaper by as much as 30% than even sea freight, according to a 2010 BIMSTEC trade logistics study -- more efficient, safer, and more organized.
Related Link: