Sagarika Express
Sagarika Express (Train no. 29-30) is a meter-gauge passenger train service operated by East Zone of Bangladesh Railway. It runs between Chittagong Railway Station of Chittagong and Chandpur Railway Station of Chandpur, and connects Feni and Comilla district on its way.[1][2]
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Long-distant commuter |
| Status | Active |
| Current operator(s) | N L Trading; Bangladesh Raiway |
| Route | |
| Start | Chittagong railway station |
| Stops | 21 |
| End | Chandpur railway station |
| Distance travelled | 180 km |
| Average journey time | 5 hours 5 minutes |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | 29-30 |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | 9 second class |
| Seating arrangements | Yes |
| Sleeping arrangements | No |
| Catering facilities | No |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) |
| Rake maintenance | Pahartoli Workshop, Pahartoli, Chittagong |
Details
Sagarika Express is a long-distant commuter train that connects most stations of Chandpur, Comilla, Feni and Chittagong. It went on private operation on 15 February 2015, and is currently maintained by 'N L Trading'.[3]
Timetable
According to 52nd Time Table of Bangladesh Railway, Sagarika Express maintains the following timing:
- No. 29 Sagarika Express: Departs Chittagong Railway Station at 7:40 am and reaches Chandpur Railway Station at 12:45 pm.
- No. 30 Sagarika Express: Departs Chandpur Railway Station at 2:30 pm and reaches Chittagong Railway Station at 7:20 pm.
Stoppages
- Pahartali
- Bhatiari
- Kumira
- Sitakunda
- Chinki Astana
- Fazilpur
- Feni Junction
- Gunabati
- Hasanpur
- Nangalkot
- Laksham Junction
- Chitoshi Road
- Shahrasti
- Meher
- Waruk
- Haziganj
- Balakhal
- Madhu Road
- Shahtoli
- Maishadi Halt
- Chandpur Court
Performance
Sagarika Express is a profitable train, indirectly connecting many districts of southern Bangladesh with Chittagong via Meghna river. But it has been criticized for its slow speed and low load (9/18). It is infamously known as 'the generator of carbon dioxide' and 'the train of TTE-guard-driver'.[4]
Incidents and accidents
- 08/01/2011: At 8:30 am, a coach of Chandpur-bound Sagarika Express malfunctioned and the train stopped near Chayabani area, Chandpur District. After repair, it started its journey at 6 pm.[5]
- 17/08/2016: Chittagong-bound Sagarika Express crashed with a boundary wall of Chittagong railway station. No casualties happened.[2]
- 04/02/2020: A person died being hit by Sagarika Express at afternoon near mission road, Chandpur.[6]
References
- সাগরিকা এক্সপ্রেস. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- "'সাগরিকা এক্সপ্রেস' সীমানা দেওয়াল ভাঙলো নিয়ন্ত্রণ হারিয়ে" [‘Sagarika Express’ broke the boundary wall after losing control]. Bartoman Pratidin (in Bengali). 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- ":: চাঁদপুর কন্ঠ ::". www.chandpur-kantho.com. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- সাগরিকা এক্সপ্রেস প্রসঙ্গ | চিঠিপত্র | The Daily Ittefaq. archive1.ittefaq.com.bd. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- "চাঁদপুর-লাকসাম রুটে ট্রেন চলাচল শুরু" [Train service started on Chandpur-Laksam route]. Bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 2011-01-08. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
- "চাঁদপুরে ট্রেনের ধাক্কায় কৃষি অফিসের ক্যাশিয়ার নিহত" [Cashier of agriculture office killed in train collision in Chandpur]. Dhaka Times (in Bengali). 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2020-04-21.