India, Bangladesh on level crossing

Maitree Express to be flagged off from Kolkata to Dhaka on April 14.

After nearly half a century, passenger trains will start plying between India and Bangladesh again. Train services, which had stopped because of the 1965 Indo-Pak war when Bangladesh was still a part of Pakistan, are all set to resume again.

After years of dilly-dallying, the Indian Railways, in co-operation with the Bangladesh government, will flag off the Maitree Express on April 14. It will take passengers from Chitpur in Kolkata to Dhaka Cantonment "� a distance of around 400 kilometres.

The revenue sharing model for the proposed train will be in the ratio of 25 per cent to India and 75 per cent to Bangladesh. The final agreement for starting the train is expected to be signed by the end of March 2008 between the ministries of railways of both the countries.

According to Rail Bhavan officials, one train each from Kolkata and Dhaka Cantonment will start its journey every Saturday and will return to its respective territory on Sunday, thereby providing two services in a week.

The train that will ply from the Indian side will have a total of six coaches with two AC coaches, two Non-AC coaches and one pantry car.

The passenger fare for the train service is likely to be Rs 800 for AC second class, Rs 480 for AC Chair Car and Rs 320 for Non-AC coaches.

Second class AC coaches will have the capacity to carry 68 passengers, while AC Chair Car and Non-AC coaches can accommodate 72 and 74 passengers respectively.

The project got delayed because of the dispute that India had with Bangladesh on the issue of fencing along the border.

The two sides agreed to move forward on the project when the Bangladesh government approved fencing along the rail line on the border, thereby fulfiling a key Indian demand.