Commercial train services on Dhaka to Khulna route through the Padma Multi-Purpose Bridge begun on Thursday.
A commercial train named Sundarban Express on Thursday reached Dhaka from Khulna by crossing the Padma Multi-Purpose Bridges.
The Sundarban Express crossed the Padma Bridge at 5 am. It takes 10 minutes to cross the Padma Bridge at a speed of 100 km.
The 383 kilometers distance from Khulna in eight hours and reached Kamalapur station at 5:45am this morning.
Earlier, the train left Khulna at9.45 pm and covered a distance of 301 km and reached the Bhanga station at 4:11 am.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the Dhaka-Bhanga railway on October 10.
Ruhul Amin, assistant loco master of Sundarban Express, said that the train travel on this route would be comfortable. Mobile ticket master Mamun Mia said that even though there are seats for 860 people, they have to carry extra passengers.
The 14-coach train departs from Kamalapur at 8:15am. 1023 passengers travel in this train of 908 seats. The return train takes 1 hour 15 minutes to reach Bhanga on the 82 km new railway from Dhaka.
The first train reaches Kamalapur in an hour and a half from Bhanga at 5.45 am on Thursday morning. Earlier, the train started from Khulna at 9.45 pm on Wednesday. It takes 8 hours to travel 383 km to Dhaka.
Divisional Commercial Officer of Bangladesh Railway Shah Alam Kiran Shishir said that although two pairs of trains will be started from Benapole and Khulna, the trains will be increased on the new route. Later, this railway will be connected with Trans Asia Railway.
Syed Shawkat Ali Lebu, track engineer of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, said that the work of the rail link project up to Jashore to be completed by next April. This will reduce the distance of Jashore by 193 km and the distance of Khulna by 215 km.
UNB adds; passengers of the Sundarban Express expressed their excitement when they crossed the Padma Bridge-- from Khulna to Dhaka – early Thursday. It was the first commercial train operation on the bridge.
Khulna Rail Station Master Masud Rana said that Sundarban Express reached Dhaka via Padma Bridge through Poradaha, Rajbari, Faridpur and Bhanga with 225 passengers.
The number of passengers will increase with the change of route, he said.
Sources said, Sundarban Express with 13 coaches will run on this route every day. The number of seats on the train is 860. Of them, 492 are Shobhan chairs, 48 AC Berth, and 320 are Snigdha seats.
The number of seats on the Khulna-bound train from Dhaka is 908.
The ticket price for Shobhan chair has been fixed at Tk 500, a first class ticket is Tk 665, first class berth Tk 995, Snigdha chair Tk 830, AC chair Tk 995 and AC berth Tk 1495.
Prof Harun-or-Rashid, of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), who was traveling on the train, said, “Earlier, it took long to reach Dhaka from Khulna, but now we can save two hours from that journey. I’m so excited to be one of the first passengers.”
MaulanaDelwar Hossain, Imam of T&T Jaam-e-Masjid, said, “I never imagined a train journey over the Padma.”
Babul Hawladar, an advocate, meanwhile, urged to make the route a little shorter, increase the number of bogies, and reduce the train fare on the route.
