On-board visa checking, joint customs inspection for Maitree – Bangladesh suggests to India
Bangladesh proposes to India introduction of on-board visa checking and setting up of a common station for joint customs checking of the passengers of Dhaka-Kolkata train Maitree Express. This comes in the wake of passengers' sufferings due to too much time taken in customs and immigration formalities during the train's maiden trip.
Other recommendations include return ticket sale at both sides, easing visa system for the passengers and promotional activities to popularise the service.
The famous train service, which was suspended in March 1965 after the India-Pakistan war, resumed on April 14. Though the journey was comfortable and immigration checking at Darsana in Chuadanga was simple, enthusiasm of the inaugural run's passengers waned when they faced the customs and immigration checking at Gede in India . In sweltering heat, the passengers had to wait for nearly two and half hours in a metal cage. After getting down from the train with all their baggage, the passengers had to stand in queue for their turn for checking. Though there is arrangement for food there, the travellers could not buy those for not having Indian currency during the stopover.
Lack of toilets also added to the passengers' woes.
Though the journey took less than eight hours, the total checking alone took five hours.
“I don't think anyone of this trip would feel like travelling in this train again if things go on like this,” a foreign ministry official said, sweating in the tin-roofed waiting hall at Gede .
The passengers suggested setting up of more counters and employing experienced officials. When the passengers of the inaugural run from Dhaka were returning on Wednesday, they were forced to wait at the exit of Gede waiting hall for a long time as the official having the key of the door could not be found, though the train was scheduled to leave in 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, passengers from Kolkata have to wait at Darsana for more than one hour as the Kolkata-bound train takes more time to reach there. When both the trains are there, the Indian engine replaces the Bangladeshi one and starts for Kolkata with passengers from Dhaka.
“We can reduce the time by at least one hour by adjusting the schedules so that those from Kolkata don't have to wait,” said an official.