Chittagong Bureau :
The Dhaka-Chittagong single track rail line will be doubled within the tenure of the incumbent government.
The single-track 72-kilometre Laksham-Akhaura rail line will be turned into a double track one with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and European Investment Bank (EIB) with the construction work set to begin very soon, sources said.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh, last year, signed agreements for US$ 505 million in loans, to improve the country’s railways to boost the national economy and sub-regional trade.
Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Senior Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Kazuhiko Higuchi, country director, Bangladesh Resident Mission of ADB, signed the agreements at a ceremony in ERD’s office at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
The experts said, “Once the project is completed, the entire Dhaka-Chittagong route would turn into a double dual-gauge lines, facilitating transportation of goods and passengers”.
The experts said this project will also help improve the overall railway transport system in Bangladesh, and aims reducing transport costs and improve logistics of strategic corridors, such as Dhaka-Chittagong link, for sub-regional trade, he added.
Meanwhile The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the revised project to construct 72-km dual-gauge double rail-track from Akhaura to Laksham, involving a cost of Tk. 6,504 crore.
Bangladesh Railway will implement the project named ‘Construction of Dual Gauge Double Rail Line and Conversion of Existing Rail Line into Dual Gauge between Akhaura and Laksam’, by June 2020. The total length of the two dual gauge rail lines would be 144 kilometers, while another 40 kilometers dual gauge rail line would be constructed for loop and sidings lines.
The existing track will be upgraded in accordance with the requirements of the Trans-Asia Railways network. Eleven railway stations will be reconstructed with special facilities for the elderly, women, children and disabled.
Sources said, the project will also support capacity development for the permanent project management unit to be established in Bangladesh Railway and for accessing climate mitigation funding. The Akhaura-Laksham section is part of a major sub-regional corridor and of the Trans-Asia Railway network.
It may be mentioned that the project was endorsed by the SASEC Trade Facilitation and Transport Working Group, in a meeting held in Singapore on October 30, 2013. The total project cost is US$ 805 million.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will co-finance the project with US$ 175 million, while the government of Bangladesh will provide US$ 125 million. The project will be executed by Bangladesh Railway and is expected to be completed by 2022.
The Dhaka-Chittagong single track rail line will be doubled within the tenure of the incumbent government.
The single-track 72-kilometre Laksham-Akhaura rail line will be turned into a double track one with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and European Investment Bank (EIB) with the construction work set to begin very soon, sources said.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh, last year, signed agreements for US$ 505 million in loans, to improve the country’s railways to boost the national economy and sub-regional trade.
Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Senior Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Kazuhiko Higuchi, country director, Bangladesh Resident Mission of ADB, signed the agreements at a ceremony in ERD’s office at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
The experts said, “Once the project is completed, the entire Dhaka-Chittagong route would turn into a double dual-gauge lines, facilitating transportation of goods and passengers”.
The experts said this project will also help improve the overall railway transport system in Bangladesh, and aims reducing transport costs and improve logistics of strategic corridors, such as Dhaka-Chittagong link, for sub-regional trade, he added.
Meanwhile The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the revised project to construct 72-km dual-gauge double rail-track from Akhaura to Laksham, involving a cost of Tk. 6,504 crore.
Bangladesh Railway will implement the project named ‘Construction of Dual Gauge Double Rail Line and Conversion of Existing Rail Line into Dual Gauge between Akhaura and Laksam’, by June 2020. The total length of the two dual gauge rail lines would be 144 kilometers, while another 40 kilometers dual gauge rail line would be constructed for loop and sidings lines.
The existing track will be upgraded in accordance with the requirements of the Trans-Asia Railways network. Eleven railway stations will be reconstructed with special facilities for the elderly, women, children and disabled.
Sources said, the project will also support capacity development for the permanent project management unit to be established in Bangladesh Railway and for accessing climate mitigation funding. The Akhaura-Laksham section is part of a major sub-regional corridor and of the Trans-Asia Railway network.
It may be mentioned that the project was endorsed by the SASEC Trade Facilitation and Transport Working Group, in a meeting held in Singapore on October 30, 2013. The total project cost is US$ 805 million.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will co-finance the project with US$ 175 million, while the government of Bangladesh will provide US$ 125 million. The project will be executed by Bangladesh Railway and is expected to be completed by 2022.
