With an eye on the South Asian market and in a bid to attract train customers from the region, the Indian Railways has exported at least 60 air-conditioned coaches to Bangladesh with which India has entered into an agreement to run trains between the two countries.
The modern stainless steel coaches, also known as lHB, manufactured by Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, are equipped with Fiat bogies capable of running at a maximum speed of 160 kmph. The export of the trains has been undertaken by Railways’ subsidiary RITES.
The contract agreement between RITES ltd and Bangladesh Railways was executed on January 21, 2015, and subsequently, between RITES ltd and RCF on September 30, 2015 for supply of these coaches at an estimated cost of Rs 367 crore.
RITES Chairman and Managing Director Rajeev Mehrotra said that RITES is making all efforts to augment export of rolling stock manufactured at Indian Railways Production Units. “Response from South Asian markets is very encouraging. This is for the first time that we have been able to send our air conditioned coaches. We are looking for a huge market,” Mehrotra told The Pioneer.
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) had, in fact, requested a contract agreement of 120 coaches. The remaining coaches will be sent in due course. Two train sets, comprising 12 coaches each- 2 AC chair car, 2 first AC sleeper car, 6 non-AC chair car and 2 power car-will presently be deployed to operate 3 pairs of inter-city trains between Dhaka and Rajshahi. The composition of coaches exported also includes a prayer room.
RITES had earlier supplied 26 Broad Gauge diesel electric locomotives (3100 HP), manufactured by Diesel locomotive Works , Varanasi which are successfully running broad gauge trains of Bangladesh Railway.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh last year, India agreed to consider the neigbour’s proposal to introduce the second Maitree express between Khulna (Bangladesh) and Kolkata in addition to the existing train service between Dhaka and the West Bengal Capital.
“Prime Minister Modi agreed to consider Bangladesh’s proposal to introduce the second Maitree Express between Khulna and Kolkata. They directed the concerned officials of both sides to take measures for ensuring more passenger-friendly customs and immigration facilities for the passengers of Maitree Express (which runs between Dhaka and Kolkota),” the declaration said on June 7, 2015.
Finally, an intercity train was flagged off at Dhaka by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the presence of High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla.