Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Indian Ministry of Railways has handed over 20 Broad Gauge locomotives to Bangladesh to support the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations.
Currently, three pairs of passenger trains operate between India-Bangladesh. These are:
- Kolkata-Dhaka: Maitree Express
- Kolkata-Khulna: Bandhan Express
- New Jalpaiguri- Dhaka: Mitali Express
Further planned sections are:
- Akhaura-Agartala rail link
- Mahihasan-Shahbazpur rail link
Other train links between India and its neighbouring countries:
- India-Nepal: Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway (Jaynagar-Kurtha)
- India-Pakistan: Thar Express (Jodhpur-Karachi) (suspended indefinitely)
- India-Myanmar: The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (Under construction)
Additionally, the Indian government has offered Bangladesh the use of the IT system deployed by the PM-GATI SHAKTI scheme, which provides detailed geospatial information for better planning and streamlining.
