A bus service between Siliguri in northern West Bengal and Kathmandu in Nepal was flagged off on Wednesday, officials said.
The service will benefit hundreds of Nepalese people who travel to Siliguri, Darjeeling and neighbouring Sikkim for livelihood. It will also boost tourism in the region, they said.
The service was inaugurated at the Junction Bus Terminus by state Transport Minister Firhad Hakim.
The bus, owned by the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), will be run by a private agency. Tickets have been priced at Rs 1,500 and will be available at the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus in the city.
The 40-seater bus will be operated from Siliguri on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It will leave at 3 pm.
Hakim said the West Bengal government is also planning a bus service from Siliguri to Bangladesh.
