India’s first Rajdhani Express turns 50, passengers get special treatment

The country's first Rajdhani Express, which revolutionised Indian Railways by way of speed and luxury in the 1960s, turned 50 Sunday as the flower-beddecked train chugged out of Kolkata's Howrah station on its golden jubilee run. (Twitter/@EasternRailway)

An Eastern Railway official told PTI that the Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express embarked on its maiden journey on March 3, 1969 from Howrah, making it the country's first fully-airconditioned, high-speed train that covered the 1,450 km stretch in 17 hours and 20 minutes. In pic: Eastern Railways fan club members celebrating the golden jubilee of Rajdhani Express. (Twitter/@EasternRailway)

The railway staff on duty in the train wore a badge with the message of celebration of 50 glorious years of Kolkata Rajdhani Express. (Express archive photo: Nirmal Harindran)

Passengers were treated to some of its old delicacies like fish fry or vegetable cutlets and 'rosogollas' apart from ice cream for dessert during its golden jubilee run Sunday. (Express archive photo: Subham Dutta)

The iconic train went through stages of evolution over the years, the official told PTI, adding that the present Kolkata Rajdhani Express was upgraded with elegant makeover of existing LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches in 2017. (Express photo: Nirmal Harindran)

Rajdhani was the first train in the country whose fares included charges for meals served. (Express archive photo: Renuka Puri)