Anisul Islam Noor :
The government has taken an initiative to build high-speed train service between Dhaka and Chittagong with a view to reducing travelling hours from the capital to the port city.
When the project is implemented, the distance of Dhaka-Chittagong railway will be reduced to 230 kilometers from existing 320 km, Railway Ministry officials said.
After implementation of the project, it will be possible to go to Chittagong from Dhaka within two hours. Besides, it will also be easier to transport goods, they said.
According to sources, five consultancy firms have already been short-listed for the feasibility study and detailed design of the High-Speed Rail Project. The date for submitting their proposals is scheduled on January 29. After that the survey will be started with the selected firm.
Railway Minister Mujibul Haq told The New Nation said that implementation of such project is very much needed and it is the demand of present time as railway’s development was ignored earlier.
After the feasibility study done, the construction work will start soon, he said.
Dhaka-Chittagong railway Via Laksham of Comilla is fast track project of the government, the minister said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered the introduction of high-speed train service in the Dhaka-Chittagong Corridor.
An international tender was invited by Bangladesh Railway last year seeking submission of proposal from interested firms to complete the feasibility study. Later six companies were finalized among the responded farms.
They are — Korea Rail Network Authority, IDOM, China Railway Design Corporation, China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group, Yoyosing Engineering Corporation and Ardenue Engineeria.
In the meantime, the organization named IDOM Consulting Engineering has said in e-mail that they will not participate.
As a result, the number of shortlisted institution now stands at 5. On January 29, the proposals of the companies will be submitted. After that the survey will start with the selected firm. This work will be funded by government of Bangladesh (GoB).
Regarding the feasibility study of the High Speed Train, railway officials said that after the study and design, the project would be implemented from various donor agencies or other sources.
