The west zone of Bangladesh Railway (BR) has implemented more than 10 development projects involving around Tk 7,783.84 crore to infuse dynamism into railway transportation along with boosting quality of services.
“We have implemented diversified infrastructural uplift works like
construction of new railway line, station remodeling and launching of new trains on new routes during the last 10 years,” said Mujibur Rahman, general manager of the zone.
The zone has been operating 133 trains including 40 intercity ones on different routes, including the capital Dhaka at present. Forty-seven locals or shuttle and forty-six commuter or mail trains are operating on various routes.
Renovation railway tracks in different sections from Parbatipur to Birol via Panchagarh and Kanchan, from Lalmonirhat to Burimari, from Syedpur to Chilahati and from Rajshahi to Chapainawabganj via Rohanpur and Amnura were completed.
He said 120 broad gauge passenger coaches, six BG break vans and one BG and one MG cranes were procured while passenger coaches and wagons were repaired and rehabilitated at Syedpur Railway Workshop. In addition to remodeling Khulna railway station, implementation of signaling system rehabilitation at 26 stations and signaling work on Darshana-Ishwardi-Sirajganj Bazar route has been completed.
The west zone covering Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions has launched “Tungipara Express” on Rajshshi-Gopalganj route for the convenience of passengers in early November last.
To this end, the zone has constructed a 55-kilomter new railway track from Kasiani to Tungipara via Gopalganj Gobra and renovated another 82-kilomter line from Kalukhali to Bhatiapara.
There are 14 stations and 120 bridges on the route, said Executive Engineer Mustafizur Rahman. The new railway line has ensured connection between the project area people with the existing railway network along with expanding the facilities of passenger movement and goods transportation.
Another 78.80- kilometer new line from Ishwardi to Dhalarchar via Pabna has also been constructed. Under the project, 7.90-kilometer loop line along with 533-meter big bridges and 952-meter small bridges were constructed.
In addition to construction of 11 station buildings along with a computer interlocked signaling system and seven non-interlocking colour light signaling systems, various necessary infrastructures like platform with shed, station approach road, boundary wall and office and staff quarters were built.
The project is being adjudged as an alternative railway track in the field of Trans Asian railway and regional connectivity.
Currently, the west zone has been implementing more than five mega projects with a total estimated cost of around Taka 5,629.76 crore.
Construction of a 65-kilomter new railway line from Khulna to Mongla is moving ahead.
A level crossing rehabilitation project is being implemented to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement of rail and road traffic by upgrading and manning the proposed level crossing gates.
More than 326 level crossings are being rehabilitated, constructed and upgraded along with appointing necessary gate keepers.
Implementation work on installing 312-set gate barriers and 5508 wooden sleepers along with necessary signaling system and other instruments is progressing fast.
The project has also provision of appointing 851 gatekeepers through outsourcing besides construction and reconstruction of 4,976.50 square-meters corner-rooms and repairing of 47,793 square-meters road surface attached to the level crossing.
The zone has adopted a project titled ‘Railway Line Renovation and Construction for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant’ to facilitate the efforts for establishing an overall transport management system for the plant.
The project will establish railway communication between Iswardi bypass take-off point and the power plant that will contribute a lot to launching a safe and speedy goods train service on the route.
“We are conducting feasibility study on important projects of the zone,” said Md Romzan Ali, chief engineer of the zone, adding that the project has the provision of construction of a 37-kilometer railway line from Chapainawabganj to Sonamasjid Land Port.
Basically, the port will be used for imported goods transportation in Bangladesh through railway.
