The construction work of 61 kilometre railway track doubling between Laksham and Chinki Astana on Dhaka-Chittagong section would be completed by December this year.
“Though 84 percent of the total construction work has already been completed and the rest work to be completed in December,” Project Director SM Liaquat Ali told BSS on Saturday. He said Bangladesh government and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) jointly provided Taka 1,525.32 crore for implementation of the project. Of which Taka 597.22 is project assistance from JICA, while the rest of Taka 928.9 crore from the government.
Track doubling between Laksham and Chinki Astana is a sub-project of Dhaka-Chittagong Railway Development Project, Ali said.
The main objective of this sub project, he said, is to increase the line capacity of Laksam-Chinki Astana section for efficient train operation and to meet fast growing freight and intercity passenger traffic.
The 61-kilometre new meter-gauge railway double line is being laid from Laksham to Chinki Astana on Dhaka-Chittagong section, involving Taka 1,525 crore, he said.
Eleven railway stations remodeling, four new stations, 10-kilometre loop line, platforms and foot over-bridges will be constructed under the project. The 11 new stations will have computerized signaling system along with telecommunications facilities. Besides, eight medium scale bridges, 34 culverts and 11 pipe-culverts would be constructed. There will be the scope for laying broad-gauge lines too.
Liaquat Ali expected the speed of train on the route would be 120 kilometres per hour on completion of the project, adding, “We have taken initiative special measure to complete the construction of railway line in the section.”
He said Bangladesh Railway and Chinese CRM Joint Venture signed a deal on October 17, 2011 to implement the project and the construction work had started in November 2011.
