AMN / KATHMANDU
A bus service between Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and India’s Siliguri in West Bengal began Tuesday evening. Nepal’s Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Raghubir Mahaseth and Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri flagged off the bus from Kathmandu.
The 44-seater air conditioned deluxe bus will complete 650 Kilometre-journey between Kathmandu and Siliguri in 18 hours. The bus will leave Kathmandu daily at 3 P.M. and reach Siliguri via Kakarvitta-Panitanki border next day at around 9 A.M. The bus fare is 2,000 Nepali Rupees and tickets would be available on-line.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Nepal visit in 2014 a Motor Vehicle Agreement for Passenger Traffic was signed to facilitate seamless and hassle-free movement of people of both countries and promote tourism.
A total 13 routes have been approved for operating regular bus services between the two countries. Kathmandu-Siliguri is the 11th route and it would further enhance connectivity between India and Nepal.