"Maitree Express" to chug out any time

Kolkata, Jul 30 (UNI) India and Bangladesh today expressed satisfaction about their progress of work for starting the "Maitree Express", the passenger train service between Dhaka and Kolkata.

After a high level meeting between Additional Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs A E Ahmad and Bangladesh Communciation Ministry's Additional Secretary A T K M Ismail, they jointly told a news conference that the "Maitree Express" could chug out any time.

"But before running the 216-kilometre distance between Dhaka and Kolkata two things are to be sorted out--security and completion of infrastrucral facilities," they said.

While India stressed the security aspects before launching the passenger train service, Bangladesh admitted that there were some infrastructrual facilities which have to be built for safety and smooth running of the train.

The "Maitree Express" reached Kolkata with a 35-member delegation from Dhaka on the second trial run yesterday.

The train left Dhaka Cantonment station at 0705 hours(local time) and crossed the border to reach Gede in Nadia district at 1315 hours before reaching here shortly after 1700 hrs.

The first trial run--Kolkata-Dhaka--was conducted on July 8 last.

Mr Ismail said Bangladesh had no problem to start the services as it had already acquired six bogies from Indonesia. But before that Dhaka and New Delhi will have to sign an agreement for the train services.

To a question Mr Ahmad said the deadline for train services was "as soon as possible" but the security aspects were to be addressed.

He said India's past experiences about the safety of passengers were bitter as many trains had come under attacks from undesirable elements.

He said in the next two days there would be Home ministerial level talks between India and Bangladesh in New Delhi to thrash out some minor things before a final date was announced for the journey of the "Maitree Express".

UNI