New Delhi: Government plans to introduce regular passenger bus services to Dhaka from Guwahati in Assam via Shillong in Meghalaya, an official release said here on Saturday.
"To study and finalise the routes and start the bus services to Dhaka from Shillong and Guwahati, a joint technical survey/trial run is being organised on December 10 and 11 from Guwahati to Dhaka," it said.
This service will be in addition to two passenger bus services to Dhaka already operating from Kolkata in West Bengal and Agartala in Tripura.
The trial run/route survey will be carried out jointly by delegations from India and Bangladesh by way of a dry run of the service to assess route conditions and other technical parameters, the release said, adding both the delegations are expected to submit feasibility reports of regular bus service.
Negotiations with Bangladesh for starting bus services from Guwahati and Shillong have been underway for the past several months and have gathered momentum, it said.
"The proposed bus service covering approximately 500 km starting from Guwahati will be taking the Shillong- Dawki (Meghalaya)/Tamabil (Bangladesh)-Sylhet-Dhaka route," it added.
The Indian delegation, led by W Blah, Superintending Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways will have representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Home Affairs and External Affairs apart from the State Governments of Assam and Meghalaya.
The Bangladesh delegation consisting of seven senior officials for the trial run will reach Guwahati on December 9 and proceed to Dhaka on December 10 by bus along with the Indian delegation.
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had flagged of a luxury bus service for Nepal from Delhi on November 25.
