To commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian Railways renamed the Howrah-Kalka Mail, one of the oldest trains, as the ‘Netaji Express’. The Howrah-Kalka Mail runs daily between Howrah and Kalka via Delhi.
It ran for the first time on January 1, 1866. At that time, its name was 63 UP Howrah Peshawar Express. According to information, on January 18, 1941, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose boarded the same train from Gomoh Junction in Dhanbad district by dodging the Britishers.
The Railways have changed the name of Kalka Mail due to its connection with Netaji’s memories.
Howrah Kalka Mail is currently running as a special train. Kalka Mail train will run with its old number as 12311 Up and 12312 Down Netaji Express. Kalka Station Superintendent, Gokul Singh informed that a notification has been issued from the Railway Board in this regard.
“Indian Railways is happy to announce the naming of 12311/12312 Howrah-Kalka Express as ‘Netaji Express’. Netaji’s prakram had put India on the express route of freedom and development,” said the ministry of railways.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the Railways has decided to pay tribute to Netaji’s ‘prakram’ by renaming one of its oldest trains as ‘Netaji Express’.
“Netaji’s prakram had put India on the express route of freedom and development. I am thrilled to celebrate his anniversary with the introduction of ‘Netaji Express’,” Goyal tweeted.
