"Initially, the train will carry 300 passengers. Once daily service is introduced, Rs 33 crore would be needed to create all the facilities for 600 passengers. For this, we have submitted a proposal to the Board and they are studying it," said Eastern Railway's Chief Passenger Transportation Manager GK Mohanti.

The frequency of the service, train fares and composition of the train would be decided at a two-day meeting between representatives of the Indian and Bangladeshi governments at Kolkata from July 30, he said.

Indian Union Home Ministry's Additional Secretary (Border Management) EA Ahmed and Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Communications of Bangladesh will lead the two sides.

Meanwhile, the single-platform Gede station, which handles a few suburban trains daily, has already received a facelift with the Eastern Railway spending Rs 3 crore in creating customs and immigration facilities for some 300 passengers expected to avail themselves of the services initially.

The platform is now fenced with wire mesh and adjacent to it, a 500 square metre shed has been constructed for customs and immigration checks with a separate lounge to segregate international passengers from locals. Refreshments, drinking water and toilet facilities have also been created.

As of now, eight immigration counters would be operated at Gede and separate facilities would be provided to customs personnel for X-ray checks and frisking, Divisional Railway Manager Sealdah SK Mondal said.

The 506 km distance between Dhaka and Kolkata will now be covered in 12 hours, Chief Passenger Transportation Manager GK Mohanti said.

Three hours of the time will be spent in customs and immigration checks, and the train will also be sanitised during the time, he said.

Meanwhile, licensed moneychangers operating outside Gede station are yet to get permission to set up counters inside the passengers' lounge.