Dhaka: Bangladesh and India have finalised all technical details, including schedule and fares, for the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service, which is slated to resume from April 14 after a gap of four decades.

"We've tied up all loose ends, and are now completely ready for the start of the train service," Railway Board's RN Varma, who led the seven-member Indian delegation at the two-day talks with Bangladeshi officials, said here.

A formal agreement for starting The Moitree (friendship) Express was expected to be signed any day ahead of the Bengali New Year Pahela Baishakh when the service was set to resume, Bangladesh's Communication Ministry's Additional Secretary ATKM Ismail said after the talks concluded on Thursday.

"We have completed all arrangements for starting the cross-border train service resolving all the unsettled issues," he said.

The Moitree Express will operate weekly between the Cantonment Railway Station in Dhaka and Chitpur station in Kolkata through the Darshana border covering a distance of 538km, of which a 418-km stretch lies in Bangladesh.

The train having a seat capacity for 418 passengers will leave Dhaka at 8:30 am every Saturday, returning the next day while the train from Kolkata will start for Dhaka at 7:10 am (local time) on Saturday and return on Sunday.

The fare has been fixed at $8 per person for economy class and $12 per person for a seat in the air-conditioned compartment. A sleeper berth will cost $20. Passengers will be allowed to carry 35 kg of baggage.

The train service, which was stalled after a war with Pakistan four decades ago, was earlier slated to be launched in July last year and has had several trial runs.

Bangladesh government last month gave up its opposition to an Indian proposal for constructing box-type fencing in no man's land to prevent smuggling and infiltration.
Source : PTI