A Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (Demu) train— known as commuter train— is set to hit the tracks on Chandpur-Laksham-Comilla route today.
The launching ceremony for the Demu train service will be held on Chandpur Boro Station premises.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir will attend the programme with Rail Minister Mojibul Haque inaugurating the service.
Railway authorities said the three-compartment train has a seating arrangement of 153 people while it has the capacity to carry 200 more standing passengers.
All three coaches of the train are open facilitating the passengers to move freely from one coach to another.
Both Railway authorities and commuters hope that the train will help people take an comfortable ride.
If the train can operate on time it would be able to draw adequate number of passengers every day, they said.
The train has a top speed of 72 kilometres per hour but it will travel at an hourly speed of 60 kilometres given the poor condition of the rail tracks, Chandpur Railway Station Master Shafiqur Rahman said.
The train was imported from China to ease the everyday journey of commuters.
A trip between Chandpur and Comilla via Laksham will take around two and a half hours.
The fare for the train from Chandpur to Meher was fixed at Tk15 and it will take Tk5 more to reach Chitoshi, Tk25 to Laksham while Tk35 to Comilla Railway Station.
Each passenger must have to buy a ticket before boarding the train.
