Howrah New Delhi Rajdhani Express started today.
Exactly 54 years ago today, Calcutta Rajdhani (earlier name. Sealdah Rajdhani was not operational then) Train No. 12301, left Howrah at 4:55 pm and reached New Delhi at 10 am the next day.
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The journey started on March 3, 1969 On the first day, the train covered 1445 km in 17...
more... hours and 20 minutes Rajdhani emerged as the best train in the country in terms of passenger comfort and speed. Guard S. O. Levy signaled the driver GL Tocher to leave the train by waving the green flag. 53 years ago, the speed revolution came in Indian Railways through that train While the maximum speed on the railway was 60 mph or 96 km, the maximum speed in the capital was 120 km In the beginning there were only 9 coaches of Rajdhani Express Five of them were AC chair cars and one first class AC room Besides, there was a dining-cum-lounge car and two generator cars. On those days, the chair car of the Rajdhani Express, which was running on diesel engines, was of advanced class with air-conditioned sleeper rooms. 25 pairs of Rajdhani Express now run across the country. At the beginning of the journey, special attention was paid to the food menu of the passengers in the Rajdhani Express. Custard caramel was reserved for first class passengers. Besides, there was soup for all the passengers. Fish fry and rosagolla for dinner.
Batanuku first class fare in the capital was initially Tk 280, and chair car fare was Tk 90 (Howrah-Delhi). The train stopped at Dhanbad, Mughalsarai, Allahabad stations en route. Gaya and Kanpur were the 'crew changing points'. There was no commercial stoppage. Tickets were issued on 'end to end' basis, i.e. from Howrah-Dhanbad-Mughalsarai only to New Delhi.
Early trains had two lounge cars. There, one could sit on the sofa by the window and read newspapers and magazines with tea and coffee brought from the pantry car. Later two lounge cars were added to Santiniketan Express. The chair car is then up, reasoning that it is against the chair car's physical comfort during the night journey. Then two-tier in 1983 and three-tier in 1993. The train runs twice a week (Monday and Friday from Howrah, Wednesday and Saturday from New Delhi). Provision was made for evening tea, dinner and breakfast to be delivered from the pantry car to the passenger seat. Capital tickets were also different. A single page ticket with flaps of thick paper on both sides like the airline tickets of that time. Image of Qutub Minar and Howrah Bridge with 'Rajdhani Express' written in English on the cover.
The railway authorities specially celebrate this day to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the journey to the capital four years ago in 2019.
please wait...Translate to EnglishToday, the Howrah New Delhi Rajdhani Express started running. The first Rajdhani Express, Calcutta Rajdhani (previously named Sealdah Rajdhani), started 54 years ago on this same day. It traveled from Howrah at 4:55 pm and arrived in New Delhi at 10 am the next day. The first day's journey covered 1445 km in 17 hours and 20 minutes. Rajdhani became the best train in terms of both passenger comfort and speed. The guard signaled the driver, who then left the train with the green flag. This train revolutionized the railway speed, increasing it to 120 km/h in the capital. In the beginning, there were only nine coaches, including five AC chair cars, a first-class AC room, a dining-cum-lounge car, and two generator cars, which were all advanced and air-conditioned. The tickets were issued on an "end to end" basis, which means that the tickets were issued from Howrah-Dhanbad-Mughalsarai to New Delhi. Initially, the first-class fare to the capital was Tk 280, and the chair car fare was Tk 90 (Howrah-Delhi). The train stopped at several stations, including Dhanbad, Mughalsarai, Allahabad, and others, for crew changes. There was no commercial stoppage. The Rajdhani Express had a special food menu for passenger satisfaction in the early days, including custard caramel and soup for all passengers, fish fry, and rosagolla for dinner. The train runs twice a week (Monday and Friday from Howrah, Wednesday and Saturday from New Delhi). The railway authorities celebrated the four-year anniversary of the journey to the capital in 2019.
please wait...Translate to HindiAaj Howrah se New Delhi Rajdhani Express ki shuruaat hui. 54 saal pehle aaj, Calcutta Rajdhani (pahle naam Sealdah Rajdhani tha) Train No. 12301, Howrah se shaam 4:55 baje chali aur agle din subah 10 baje New Delhi pahunch gayi thi. Uske baad Rajdhani Desh ki sabse acchi train bani jo passenger comfort aur speed ke mamle me kisi ke barabar thi. Guard S. O. Levy ne driver GL Tocher ko green flag dikha kar train ko chalane ke liye signal diya tha. 53 saal pehle uss train se Indian Railways me speed revolution aa gaya tha. Railway pe maximum speed 60 mph yaani ki 96 km thi, lekin Rajdhani me maximum speed 120 km thi. Shuruaat me Rajdhani Express ke sirf 9 coaches the jisme se 5 AC chair cars aur ek first class AC room tha. Saath me dining-cum-lounge car aur do generator cars bhi the. Uss dino, Rajdhani Express ki chair car ki seat kafi comfortable aur spacious thi.