The first international passenger train service to start between New Jalpaiguri (NJP) and Dhaka next month has prompted stakeholders of the tourism industry to raise a series of demands, which include infrastructure upgrade for the NJP station and an office in Siliguri for visas.

The demands follow a joint announcement by railway officials of Indian and Bangladesh. On Wednesday, they announced that from March 26, a bi-weekly passenger train service will start between NJP and Dhaka.

“NJP is one of the important railway stations of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and it will soon be a part of history as the first international train service from the region will commence from here next month. That is why we want appropriate infrastructure for people who avail the train service. There is every possibility that along with residents of Bangladesh, tourists from other countries will also use the service to reach north Bengal,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary, Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network (HHTDN).

On Friday, a delegation of HHTDN met senior officials of NFR and submitted a memorandum seeking improvement in infrastructure.

Sanyal said that as the train service would start from here and facilities for immigration would be opened up in NJP, it was necessary that a visa office came up in Siliguri.

“As of now, to get a visa for Bangladesh, one has to visit Calcutta. A new visa office in Siliguri will increase the number of passengers and be convenient for residents of north Bengal and those in neighbouring Sikkim and parts of Bihar. We will raise the issue with the Union external affairs ministry and have also urged railway officials to take it up with the Centre,” he added.

Stakeholders have also flagged the issue of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a prime attraction for tourists.

On March 26 last year, the toy train services of DHR was suspended owing to the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown.

A few months ago, the railways resumed joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom but regular services between the hills and plains continue to remain suspended.

“The railways should resume the regular service as well as it draws a number of tourists,” said a tour operator in Siliguri.