AGARTALA, June 5 (TIWN): With first of its kind Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala direct bus service to start soon after PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina would flag off the service. The Tripura passengers foresee the fare charge to be less than Rs. 2000 ensuring differences from flight fare.

After the trial run has started from June 1^st  which would end on June 5, a section of passengers who are looking forward to travel to Kolkata via Dhaka from Agartala claims, “There is no use of travelling by bus to Kolkata until the fare is fixed less than Rs. 2000.”

Citing a reason for it the passengers also said, “Because often we get flight tickets with low fare if we book it 6 to 7 days back, therefore if we can get the facility from the flight  then there is no use of availing bus with Rs. 2000 and more.”

Taking up the issue of finalising the fare charge a high level meeting was held here at state guest house among the West Bengal transport officials and the Tripura transport officials on June 2.

But it has been learnt that no decision has been taken in this regard by the state govt. Officials here have suggested to rest the fare charge at Rs. 1200 ensuring coziness of the passengers, whereas the WB officials claimed that they would like to keep the fare charge at Rs. 2000 ensuring no loss for them as they had already invested hefty amount buying ‘Volvo’ bus to ply Agartala via Dhaka.

However but no final decision has been taken yet to fix the fare. It is expected that another high level meeting scheduled to be held at Dhaka very soon after the flag off would finalise the fare charge with the fare likely to be rest at Rs. 1800 for a single passenger.

The passengers here at Agartala also felt that if everything falls on right track than the direct bus service from Agartala to Kolkata via Bangladesh capital Dhaka would further strengthen the Indo-Bangla bi-lateral relation. Govt. of India on its ambitious agreement would for the first time use the Bangladesh territory to ply a direct bus between Kolkata and Agartala.

Passengers along with the common mass of the state said, “This is opening a new chapter of tourism, connectivity with Bangladesh and mainland states of India as far as Tripura is concern.” Expressing satisfaction over the new bus service, the passengers said that it would go a long way in resolving the problems of the people travelling from Tripura to West Bengal.

The new direct bus service via Dhaka would greatly reduce the time and distance of travel between Agartala and Kolkata.

However, the Agartala bound bus which started from TRTC international bus terminus on June 3 to reach Kolkata as part of the trial run service carrying 8 members delegations of the state transport department would reach here at Tripura capital on June 5 after a night halt at Bangladesh capital Dhaka on June 4.