Authorities look to cut travel time by Dhaka-Kolkata train
Monday, 21 July 2008
The railway authorities of Bangladesh and India have agreed to cut travel time by two hours for journey by the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train Maitree Express by minimising customs and immigration formalities, officials said Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
According to a preliminary agreement between Bangladesh Railway Authority and India's Eastern Railway, the time for customs and immigration at border stations will be reduced to three hours from the existing five.
In line with the new arrangement, Maitree will reach Dhaka from Kolkata in 10 hours.
A team of the Eastern Railway will arrive in Dhaka and hold a meeting on July 27 in an attempt to finalise the plan.
"On July 27, the heads of department meeting will discuss the cut in travel time," Quazi Asadullah, additional director general (operation) of Bangladesh Railway, told the news agency Sunday.
The plan for reducing travel time for Maitree came up for discussion at the just-concluded Bangladesh-India foreign secretary level talks in New Delhi.
"Both Bangladesh and India have agreed that travel time should be reduced," foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain told reporters at a press conference at the foreign ministry Sunday.
At present, the Maitree starting from Dhaka stops at the Bangladesh bordering station Darsana for two and a half hours and for as many hours at the Indian bordering station Gede for customs and immigration formalities.
According to a preliminary agreement between Bangladesh Railway Authority and India's Eastern Railway, the time for customs and immigration at border stations will be reduced to three hours from the existing five.
In line with the new arrangement, Maitree will reach Dhaka from Kolkata in 10 hours.
A team of the Eastern Railway will arrive in Dhaka and hold a meeting on July 27 in an attempt to finalise the plan.
"On July 27, the heads of department meeting will discuss the cut in travel time," Quazi Asadullah, additional director general (operation) of Bangladesh Railway, told the news agency Sunday.
The plan for reducing travel time for Maitree came up for discussion at the just-concluded Bangladesh-India foreign secretary level talks in New Delhi.
"Both Bangladesh and India have agreed that travel time should be reduced," foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain told reporters at a press conference at the foreign ministry Sunday.
At present, the Maitree starting from Dhaka stops at the Bangladesh bordering station Darsana for two and a half hours and for as many hours at the Indian bordering station Gede for customs and immigration formalities.