India's first Rajdhani Express, which revolutionized Railways with its speed and luxury in the 1960s, turned 50 today. In its golden jubilee run, the train decorated with flowers, chugged out of the Howrah station.
The Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express embarked on its first journey in March, 1969 from Howrah, making it the country's first fully-air conditioned, high-speed train to cover a 1,450 km stretch in 17 hours and 20 minutes.
The red and yellow train decorated with marigold flowers was flagged off by three former employees after a cake cutting ceremony and release of a greeting stamp.
Passengers were treated to some of its old delicacies like fish fry, vegetable cutlets and ''rosogollas”, IRCTC (East) general manager Debasish Chandra said.
Rajdhani's golden jubilee run was flagged off after a cake cutting ceremony and release of a greeting stamp.
The railway staff on duty wore a badge with the message of celebration of 50 glorious years of Kolkata Rajdhani Express.
Rajdhani Express commenced its first journey from Howrah on this day in 1969 with nine vacuum braked coaches built at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Perambur, consisting of two power cars, five AC chair cars, one dining car and one AC first class coach.
The iconic train went through stages of evolution over the years. It was upgraded with elegant makeover of existing LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches in 2017.
Loco Pilot Run Over By Rajdhani Express In Jharkhand: Cops Passenger Claims He Was Stopped From Entering First AC Despite Ticket, Recounts ''Jarring'' Experience Kolkata Man, 41, Opens Fire On New Delhi Rajdhani Express, None Injured Indian-Origin Family, On Way To Daughter's College, Killed In US Car Crash Woman Doctor Assaulted By Drunk Patient, His Relatives At Mumbai Hospital BJP Leader, 2 Doctors Summoned Over 'Fake News' On Kolkata Rape-Murder Questions That CBI Asked RG Kar Hospital Ex-Principal Over Kolkata Horror Imane Khelif, And The Scourge Of 'Transvestigators' Swiggy, Zomato Roll Out New 'Group Ordering' Feature On Respective Platforms Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.