The Ministry of Railways has approved the name change of the iconic Howrah-Delhi Kalka Mail as Netaji Express.
The name change would be applicable to train numbers 12311/12312 Howrah – Kalka Mail on resumption of its normal services.
However, effective January 23,2021 train number 02311/02312 Howrah – Kalka Special will also be named as 02311/02312 Howrah – Kalka Netaji Express Special. The renaming commemorates the birth anniversary of one of India’s great sons-Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Netaji escaped from confinement in his house at Calcutta (now Kolkata) disguised as a Pathan. He drove to Bararee near Dhanbad to his nephew Dr. Sisir Kumar Bose’s house from where he reached Gomoh station and boarded the Kalka Mail in disguise on January 18, 1941.
History
Historically, the first train between Calcutta and Delhi was run by East India Railway Company in 1866 in the name of ‘East Indian Railway Mail’ and the train was numbered as 1 Up & 2 Down.
Later, the train was further extended up to Kalka. The train was used by British Civil Servants to move from the winter capital Calcutta to their summer capital in Simla (now Shimla). The entire Government machinery travelled on this train at the start of summer months and returned when summer ended.