Maitree Express popular no more

A year after the Maitree Express the train service connecting Kolkata and Dhaka was launched amid much fanfare,the popularity of the rail service has nosedived.

A year after the Maitree Express the train service connecting Kolkata and Dhaka was launched amid much fanfare,the popularity of the rail service has nosedived. On days,the 360-seater train carries only 60 passengers.

The Maitree Express is hardly a success story. The number of passengers availing the service has been greatly reduced. Surveys have been carried out by getting feedback from passengers and travel agents about the poor number of passengers, said a senior official of the Eastern Railway.

The reasons that are taking toll on the services are many from shoddy services to endless checking extending to 4 and 5 hours at bordering stations like Darshana and Gede. Passengers also complain about the schedule of the train and the lack of facilities for the aged and sick.

The train runs on a bi-weekly basis,on Saturday and Sunday,covering approximately 500 kms in 12 hours,including the time for checking at border stations.

Nasrin Sultana (43),a resident of Katwali in Dhaka,say the time taken at the checking posts should be reduced. Moreover,the plying days should be spread over the week instead of consecutive days.

Chief Public Relations Officer,Eastern Railway,Sameer Goswami,however,say: The average number of passengers have been around 80. Some people think that the bus service is better,but in reality it is more troublesome than train journeys. The low numbers of passengers are not a big issue.

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