India has flagged off the first export-bound New Modified Goods (NMG) rake from the Hosur railway station in Bengaluru to Bangladesh. This is the first NMG rake dispatched by the South Western Railway (SWR) to Bangladesh.

Speaking to reporters, SWR Divisional Manager Ashok Verma said the rake consisting of 25 wagons loaded with 100 light commercial vehicles (LCVs) is called "Dost" and has been manufactured by Ashok Leyland. It left for Benapole railway station in Bangladesh.

He said that transportation of automobiles by train is safer and faster compared to transportation by road. "Not only it is safe and cheaper, but it is also easy to monitor the movement of the consignment in trains with real-time check in practice," he said.

The SWR in a statement claimed that earlier, the Bengaluru division had dispatched two export-bound NMG rakes to Nautanwa (Nepal) from the Penukonda railway station. "Overall, the division has loaded 128 NMG rakes during the current financial year," the statement added.

(IANS)