Page 86 - PR COMMUNICATION AGE July - December 2020

asked to send those feedbacks after Rs. 24,000cr bullet train with 33 bogeys flagged off from
compiling it, he said. Mishra was Bangladesh revived the Chilahati-
addressing a webinar organised by contract creates record Haldibari rail route after 55 years amid
realtors body NAREDCO. The National High Speed Rail thunderous cheers on both sides of the
Corporation (NHSRCL) signed the border. The train, flagged off by
Covid passports to boost country's largest ever government- Bangladesh railway minister Nurul
funded civil contract of nearly Rs Islam Sujon, was greeted by thousands
travel 25,000 crore for the Ahmedabad- as it reached Zero Point from Chilahati

Global airline lobby Iata is working on Mumbai bullet train project with station. It chugged into India at
a mobile app that will help travellers infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro Haldibari around 2pm.
demonstrate their covid-free status, (L&T). The construction company said "It's like a dream come true. We are
joining a push to introduce so-called they have deployed people on ground
now looking forward to passenger
Covid passports to speed up the revival to start work.
trains on this route. We have heard
of international travel. The NHRSCL has awarded work for 325 stories of how Darjeeling Mail, pulled
The Travel Pass will display test results km falling in Gujarat to L&T. PM Modi by a steam engine, used to run from
together with proof of inoculation, as asked the railways to go ahead with Sealdah to Siliguri along this route,"
well as listing national entry rules and the work in Gujarat portion and said Haldibari resident Sajal
details on the nearest labs, according complete it rather than waiting for Chakraborty.
to the International Air Transport Maharashtra to get the required land Darjeeling Mail, one of the oldest
Association (Iata). The app will also link for this flagship project. trains between Kolkata and north
to an electronic copy of the holder's Speaking on the occasion, the Bengal, could be among the first
passport to prove their identity. Japanese ambassador to India Satoshi passenger trains to operate on the
A test programme will begin with Suzuki said the contract for such a revived route three months later. It
British Airways parent IAG SA this year mammoth infrastructure project has will save nearly five hours between
before arriving on Apple Inc. devices in been awarded at a time when it was Sealdah and New Jalpaiguri Station
the first quarter of 2021 and Android required to accelerate economic (NJP).
from April, Iata said. Travellers will be activities. While flagging off the goods train,
able to share their status with border He said the project will not only help Sujon reportedly announced that a
authorities or present a QR code for in transfer of Japanese technologies to passenger train would ply from Dhaka
scanning. India but it will also transform urban to Siliguri three times a week from
"We need to have global rules and development along its corridor. March 26, and trains from NJP would
standards" on measures like rapid Railway board CEO and chairman, V K go to Sealdah via Bangladesh's
testing and vaccination so there can Yadav, said that after completion of Chilahati, Domar, Toronbari, Nilfamari,
be a "step forward" for the industry, this first bullet train project, the Sayeedpur, Darshana and Parbatipur
Pieter Elbers, the head of the Dutch government will take up more such before entering India through the
arm of Air France-KLM, said in a train corridors on seven more routes. Gede border.
Bloomberg TV interview. The health There will be employment generation Loco master Amal Sarkar said: "This is
advances "will definitely help to restore not only for professionals like a prestigious moment for us as we have
confidence in travel." engineers, technicians, designers and been entrusted the job of taking the
Qantas Airways Ltd said a covid-19 architects but also for skilled and semi- engine from Chilahati to Haldibari. We
vaccination will be a necessity for its skilled workforce and construction are honoured." The goods train had
international passengers when workers. two drivers, assistant drivers and
approved and distributed. Chief guards each. The NJP ADRM and other
executive officer Alan Joyce told Haldibari rail route from railway officers received the train at
Channel 9 in Australia he has discussed B'desh opens after 55 Haldibari.
the idea with other airlines, and it's Launch has made five of six India-
likely to become a pre-boarding years Bangladesh rail links operational. The

requirement around the world. Haldibari (Cooch Behar): A goods train other four connecting West Bengal

86 PR COMMUNICATION AGE July - December 2020