KOLKATA: The railway ministry plans to ramp up infrastructure od Kolkata Station - a terminal point for Bandhan Express that runs up to Khulna and Mai
KOLKATA: The railway ministry plans to ramp up infrastructure od Kolkata Station – a terminal point for Bandhan Express that runs up to Khulna and Maitree Express that reaches Dhaka – to ensure better services for passengers to and from Bangladesh. The ministry has planned a visa facilitation centre and a foreign currency exchange centre.
From April 1, the old arrangement of guarding the two international trains up to the border will be entrusted to the RPF, though BSF has been guarding them for the last couple of years. A Nabanna official said the decision to escort the trains up to the border by BSF was taken by the home ministry and the Prime Minister’s office. The new decision that RPF personnel will provide security to the trains has been conveyed to the state government.
Officials said many people from Bangladesh often end up paying penalties for overstaying in India, so it has been decided that a visa extension centre will be set up at the station.
Sheelendra Pratap Singh, DRM of Sealdah, said a tender has been floated recently to set up the foreign currency exchange centre at the station.
An official said that after the jurisdiction of BSF was extended up to 50km from the border in Bengal, the BSF was given the task to escort the two trains, though Kolkata station is not within 50km range from the border. The reason for change of security from BSF to RPF is that the railways had to pay the BSF a hefty sum for escorting the trains.
From April 1, the old arrangement of guarding the two international trains up to the border will be entrusted to the RPF, though BSF has been guarding them for the last couple of years. A Nabanna official said the decision to escort the trains up to the border by BSF was taken by the home ministry and the Prime Minister’s office. The new decision that RPF personnel will provide security to the trains has been conveyed to the state government.
Officials said many people from Bangladesh often end up paying penalties for overstaying in India, so it has been decided that a visa extension centre will be set up at the station.
Sheelendra Pratap Singh, DRM of Sealdah, said a tender has been floated recently to set up the foreign currency exchange centre at the station.
An official said that after the jurisdiction of BSF was extended up to 50km from the border in Bengal, the BSF was given the task to escort the two trains, though Kolkata station is not within 50km range from the border. The reason for change of security from BSF to RPF is that the railways had to pay the BSF a hefty sum for escorting the trains.
m.timesofindia.com