View source for East Bengal Mail

{{Short description|Defunct train in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name = East Bengal Mail
| type = Mail train
| locale = 
| first = 
| last =
| operator =  
| ridership =
| start = [[Sealdah]] 
| stops = 
| end = [[Parbatipur Junction]] 
| distance = 
| journeytime = 
| frequency = Daily
| class = 
| seating = 
| sleeping = 
| autorack =
| catering = 
| observation = 
| entertainment =
| baggage = 
| otherfacilities=
| stock = 
| gauge = {{track gauge|1676mm}}
| el = 
| train number =
| speed = 
| map = 
| map_state =
}}
{{Sealdah–Parbatipur line}}
The '''East Bengal Mail''' was one of three trains operated between India and [[East Pakistan]] (now [[Bangladesh]]). The rail link was suspended at the outbreak of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]].

==Overview==
Prior to 1965, when armed conflict broke out between India and Pakistan, rail links existed between India and East Pakistan. Three trains ran between the two countries carrying goods and passengers: (1) [[East Bengal Express]] between [[Sealdah]] and [[Goalundo Ghat]] via [[Gede, Nadia|Gede]]–[[Darshana, Chuadanga, Bangladesh|Darshana]], (2) East Bengal Mail between Sealdah and [[Parbatipur Junction]] via [[Gede, Nadia|Gede]]–[[Darshana, Chuadanga, Bangladesh|Darshana]], and (3) [[Barisal Express]] between Sealdah and [[Khulna]] via [[Petrapole]]–[[Benapole]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.idsa-india.org/an-mar9-8.html |title = India–Bangladesh Transportation Links: A Move for Closer Cooperation |last= Sangeeta Thapliyal | publisher= | access-date = 2011-12-10 }}</ref><ref name="Geography – International">{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-inter.html |title = Geography – International |last= |first= | publisher= IRFCA| access-date = 2011-12-10 }}</ref>

==History==
From 1878, the railway route from Kolkata, then called Calcutta, to Siliguri was in two legs through the eastern part of Bengal. The first leg was a 185&nbsp;km journey along the Eastern Bengal State Railway from Calcutta Station (later renamed Sealdah) to Damookdeah Ghat on the southern bank of the [[Padma River]], then across the river in a ferry and the second leg of the journey. A {{convert|336|km|mi}} metre-gauge line of the North Bengal Railway linked Saraghat on the northern bank of the Padma to Siliguri.<ref name=njp>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/docs/rinbad-siliguri.html|title = India: the complex history of the junctions at Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri | publisher= IRFCA|access-date = 2011-11-12 }}</ref>
 
The {{convert|1849|m|ft}} [[Hardinge Bridge]] across the Padma opened for trains in 1915. Presently, it is between the Paksey and Bheramara stations on the broad-gauge line between [[Khulna]] and [[Parbatipur Upazila|Parbatipur]] in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bhuiyan |first=Muhammad Masudur Rahman |year=2012 |chapter=Hardinge Bridge |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Hardinge_Bridge |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> In 1926 the metre-gauge section north of the bridge was converted to broad gauge, and so the entire Calcutta – Siliguri route became broad-gauge.<ref name=njp/> East Bengal Mail used to cover the distance of {{convert|376|km|mi}} in 7 hours 50 mins in up direction & in 8 hours in down direction, running at {{convert|47.5|kph|mph}}. Train used to leave Sealdah at 21.10 hours, reaching Parbatipur at 05.00 hours. In return used to leave Parbatipur at 21.30 hours, arriving Sealdah at 05.30 hours.  

In the pre-independence days, two legendary mail trains used the Sealdah–Parbatipur line. The [[Darjeeling Mail]] linked Kolkata, then known as Calcutta, and Siliguri. The [[Assam Mail]] originally ran from [[Sealdah]] to [[Santahar]] by broad gauge, and onwards by metre gauge from [[Santahar]] to [[Guwahati]] (then spelt Gauhati).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/articles/isrs/fnrm3-fame-name.html |title = Trains of fame and locos with a name – Part 2| publisher= [[IRFCA]]| access-date = 2011-12-15 }}</ref>

==Branch lines==
Not only was the mainline an important one but a cursory glance at the route map shows important links. The [[Maitree Express]] uses a part of the route in [[Kolkata]] to [[Iswardi]] journey. The [[Mitali Express]] uses a part of the route from [[New Jalpaiguri]] to [[Iswardi]] journey. 

[[Abdulpur]] is an important junction with links to [[Rajshahi]] and the India–Bangladesh border at Rahanpur-[[Singhabad]]. In olden days, it was the route for travel between Malda and Kolkata.

Santahar is another important junction, with a metre-gauge connection to many places in the northern part of Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fida |first=Quazi Abul |year=2012 |chapter=Railway |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Railway |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

In pre-independence days, there was a metre-gauge line: [[Katihar]]–[[Radhikapur]]–[[Biral]]–[[Parbatipur Upazila|Parbatipur]]–Tista–Geetaldaha–[[Golakganj]]–[[Fakiragram]].<ref name="Geography – International"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Railways in Bangladesh}}
{{Railways in Eastern India}}
{{International trains from India}}

[[Category:Named passenger trains of India]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:International named passenger trains]]
[[Category:Defunct trains in India]]
[[Category:History of rail transport in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1965]]
[[Category:Transport in Kolkata]]


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{{India-rail-transport-stub}}