Eastern Railway recreates first journey of electric train

Sixty years after the first electric train of the Eastern Railway (ER) chugged off Howrah station, a commemorative run of the historic event was held today with an EMU local train. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had flagged off the ERs first EMU train which ran between Howrah and Seoraphuli stations on December 12, 1957, ER general manager Harindra Rao said.

The then Railway Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram and Chief Minister of West Bengal Dr B C Roy had also been present on the occasion.

“It is a historic event to celebrate the commemorative run of the EMU train,” Rao said before the journey commenced from Howrah station for Seoraphuli.

The commemorative run of the decked up green and yellow coloured train was flagged off today by Swapan Kumar Modi and Shekhar Chattopadhay, the eldest guard and driver respectively in the zonal railway. At present ER runs 1393 EMU trains – 476 in Howrah division and 917 in Sealdah division every day.

Electrification of Howrah? Barddhaman Chord and Calcutta Chord link were completed in 1966, which ushered in a new era of faster and comfortable train journey for commuters, Rao said.