AGARTALA, June 2 (TIWN): The first direct bus from Kolkata to Tripura capital Agartala via Dhaka entered Akhaura integrated check post on Tuesday afternoon after travelling around 500 km.

The air-conditioned 45-seater Volvo bus carrying a 10-member delegation was led by Alapan Bandhopadhyay , West Bengal's Principal Commissioner (Transport).

“I can certainly say that the government of West Bengal is extremely enthuse to see this connectivity breakthrough happening and I found many Bangladesh officials have joined us today in this trial run. Senior officials of Indian government and those from Tripura have joined us. We see a tripartite ebullience which is definitely a signature of this breakthrough,” said Bandhopadhyay.   

The Kolkata-Agartala bus via Dhaka, began its trial run from the West Bengal capital on Monday from the Salt Lake Korunamoyee international bus terminus and made a stopover in Dhaka on the same day to take on board a nine-member delegation from Bangladesh.

The bus left Dhaka this morning and reached at the Akhaura ICP here at noon.

The delegates were received by Agartala Mayor Prafullajit Sinha and district magistrate of West Tripura district Dr. Milind Ramteke and superintendent of police Bijoy Nag beside other officials.

Later the Indian officials held a meeting on various issues related to the bus service with a Bangladesh delegation led by joint secretary of road transport and highway department Abdul Rouf Khan.

“The bus service is very much beneficial for Bangladesh as well as India. Bangladesh has already launched bus service from Dhaka to Kolkata and Guwahati and today this bus is running from Kolkata to Dhaka and Agartala. The road communication is very much fine and useful. The relation between Bangladesh and India is at its peak now,” said Khan.

“The agreement between Bangladesh and India for running this bus service will take place on 6^- 7^th June.

 The new direct bus service on the Kolkata-Agartala route via Dhaka would reduce the distance by about 1000 km through the hilly North-eastern states.

The distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka is 500 km, but it is 1650 km if one travels through the 'chicken's neck' connecting West Bengal to the north east and Guwahati.

The bus service would set the stage for greater connectivity between South Asian countries.

The Agartala-Kolkata bus service via Dhaka is likely to be flagged-off during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh between June 6 and June 7 and in presence of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hassina.

Tomorrow a bus from Agartala is scheduled to leave on a trial run for Kolkata via Dhaka.