Economic Reporter :
Bangladesh Railway is going to purchase 250 new passenger coaches and 10 engines in its fleet with a view to providing passengers modern, safe and quality services.
For this purpose, ECNEC, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday approved two separate projects costing Tk. 2108 crore. Out of the total amount, the government would provide Tk. 574 crore and the rest Tk. 1534 crore will finance by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
After the meeting, Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal briefed journalists about the outcome.
At the meeting, Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal informed,’ Under the project titled procurement of Meter Gauge and Broad Gauge Passenger Carriages for Bangladesh Railway (costing Tk.1374 crore).
The government would procure 200 meter gauge rail coaches and 50 broad gauge rail coaches. Besides, Bangladesh Railway would also procure 2 Train Washing Plants for cleaning the coaches quickly after every trip’.
Mustafa Kamal also said, ‘ Bangladesh Railway would purchase another 10 Meter Gauge Diesel Electric Locomotives, 2 Meter Gauge and 2 Broad Gauge Accident Relief Crane and 1 Locomotive Simulator under a project titled Procurement of Locomotives, Relief Cranes and Locomotive Simulator for Bangladesh Railway(costing Tk. 734 crore) ‘.
Currently, Bangladesh Railway has 1165-meter gauge coaches. Of them, 591 coaches are running with various defects and less passenger amenities. As a result, it is tough for Bangladesh Railway to meet passengers’ demand of comfort and safety. On the other hand, Bangladesh Railway belongs to 324 broad gauge coaches, but 78 of these coaches have already crossed their economic life.
Highlighting these problems the Planning Minister said that the newly procured coaches would be used as Intercity Trains and to be replaced with over-aged coaches to fulfill the demand of the passengers with additional safety and amenities’.
‘The old coaches what will be withdrawn from the intercity train would be used as Mail Express and Local Passenger Train depending on the condition of the coaches’, said the minister.
Bangladesh Railway will complete both the projects by June 2019, he said.
