Trains from the northern and southern regions will also run up to the capital with the completion of dual gauge (metre gauge and broad gauge together) track-laying between Joydevpur and Kamalapur in the city (34 kilometres) by the end of next year, Bangladesh Railway (BR) sources told The Daily Star recently.

The prime minister is likely to inaugurate the Khulna-Joydevpur rail route in the last week of this month. A train-- Sundarban Express-- will be pressed into service on the day.

Moreover, Padma Express, which plies between Rajshahi and Ibrahimabad to the east of Bangabandhu Bridge, will now run another 80 extra kilometres to reach Joydevpur. The train will be renamed Silkcity Express.

Track-laying on a 80-kilometre stretch from Ibrahimabad to Joydevpur has been completed recently and Sundarban Express and Silkcity Express will run up to Joydevpur from Khulna and Rajshahi.

Trains on Khulna-Joydevpur and Rajshahi-Joydevpur routes will ply under manual signalling system for the time being. Interlocking system of signalling will be introduced by December this year, railway sources said.

Frequency of trains on the two routes might be increased to the capacity of Joydevpur station considering passengers' demand.