Railway launches 'Tungipara Express'

The west zone of Bangladesh Railway has launched “Tungipara Express” on Rajshahi-Gopalganj route for convenience of passengers.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the service through a videoconference on Thursday.

For the first time, the intercity train left Rajshahi station at 3:00pm yesterday for Gopalganj. Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and railway high officials were present at the station on the occasion.

Earlier at 1:30pm, the train reached Rajshahi via Ishwardi junction after it left Gobra Railway Station in Gopalganj at 6:45am, making a 256-kilometre journey in six hours.

Golam Mostofa, station superintendent, told the news agency that the train will run on the route every day except for Monday and Tuesday.

The zone has constructed a 55km new railway track from Kasiani to Tungipara via Gopalganj and renovated another 82km line from Kalukhali to Bhatiapara with a total cost of around Tk 1,101.33 crore. There are 14 stations and 120 bridges on the route, said Executive Engineer Mustafizur Rahman.

He said the west zone has been implementing four mega projects at a cost of around Tk 1,829.76 crore aiming at bringing dynamism in the railway transportation along with boosting quality of services.

At present, the zone, covering Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions, has been operating 133 trains, including 42 intercity, on different routes including the capital.

Forty-seven local or shuttle and 46 commuter or mail trains are also being operated on various routes.