Delay now looks inevitable over the project, as Bangladesh and India are yet to sit down and sort out nitty gritty of the whole project. In reality for millions of people in both countries the train service will open a new horizon of communication, which has remained suspended for over 40 years, since a war broke out between India and Pakistan in 1965.

Quazi Asadullah, BR's additional director general (operation), said that they are working with the target to start the project in July. They are yet to decide on the minute details of immigration, customs and security.

"Right now we have 50 compartments imported from Indonesia and we are putting broad gauge line on the existing rail line under a separate project. So there is no extra cost for the project. If we can set up the line up to the cantonment station then the passengers can board the train from cantonment," said Asadullah.

Contradicting his claim another high official of BR said that there is no possibility that the rail communication will start before March or April, 2008.

Since independence several initiatives were taken by successive governments to restore the train service but none of those had been fruitful.

The total length of the rail line would be 538 kilometers (km) of which 418 km will be in Bangladesh and 120 km will be in India. Bangladesh will get 78 percent of the revenue and India will get 22 percent as per percentage of rail lines between them.

Last time an agreement was signed in 2001 between the two countries but that agreement could not be materialised within the time limit. Therefore, a new agreement would be needed, said the officials.

Resumption of rail link will relieve thousands of people, who regularly shuttle between the two countries, of the long hours they have to wait at Benapol and Petrapol land ports in Bangladesh and India for immigration and customs formalities.

Frequent travellers are hopeful that the reintroduction of train service between the two countries would greatly relieve their sufferings.

Hasina, a housewife and mother of a child who recently went to Kolkata from Dhaka said that a hassle-free passage is always more than welcome for all passengers of these neighbouring countries.

"There was too much hassle in the border while checking passport and visas. It took around two and a half hours. Besides the road was potholed after Magura. It will be a great relief for passengers if the train communication resumes," she said.

The authority recently did a rough calculation on the journey time and where it would be best to set up immigration and customs check up.

Shafiqul Alam Khan, BR's director Public Relations, said that the Indian authority wants to set up immigration and other formalities at the borders. If the immigration is at the borders, our calculation shows that it would take eleven and half hours to make the journey. But if the checks are done at the departure points, travel time would be reduced by at least three hours, he said.

The Bangladeshi crew will go up to the border and come back boarding the Dhaka-bound train from Kolkata. The Indian crew on their turn will return to Kolkata boarding the Kolkata-bound train from Dhaka at the border.

The fares would be $8 for non-air conditioned (non-AC) coach Shobhon class, $12 for AC coach Snigdha class and $20 for first class AC coach. The train will start at 7:45am from Dhaka and at 7am from Shialdaha station of Kolkata. Free tickets will be given to children under five years of age.

India wants the train to run once a week while Bangladesh wants to run it for six days a week. Several internal meetings are to take place before taking the final decisions. Meanwhile millions in Bangladesh and India wait for a ride on the historical train.