Bangladesh
Dhaka-Cumilla Chord Line

Hope revives as BR resumes studies, designs

Passenger rail services via Padma Bridge

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has resumed the feasibility study and detailed design for a chord line from Dhaka to Cumilla via Narayanganj.

The line will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by 90 kilometres and travel time by two hours, say BR officials.

The authority also resumed the study and designing for a bridge parallel to the existing century-old Hardinge Bridge over the Padma river.

"We have resumed the studies following the ministry's directive," Project Director Abidur Rahman told The Daily Star yesterday.

The development came around six months after the railway authorities halted the study following the directive of the previous government reportedly over a financial crisis.

The previous government in June 2020 approved a Tk 235.37-crore Technical Assistance Project, with the Asian Development Bank providing Tk 167.14 as a loan for feasibility studies and designs of 11 potential projects.

In February last year, a joint-venture firm was hired to carry out preparatory works for upcoming projects, including the chord line and second Hardinge Bridge.

After carrying out some work, the firm proposed four possible aliments for building the chord line.

In March this year, the then prime minister directed to postpone the study for the chord line and second Hardinge Bridge, citing financial crisis, BR sources said.

On March 12, the railways ministry directed the project director to suspend the study and detailed design of the two components.

After the political changeover on August 5, discussion for resuming the studies for both projects came to the fore, BR officials said.

Railways ministry last month directed BR's director general to resume study and detailed design with two conditions in mind -- avoiding land acquisition as much as possible to save time and cost and using the existing infrastructure as much as possible.

Contacted, Railways Ministry Secretary Abdul Baki said BR officials told him about the necessity of the two projects during a meeting.

After knowing about all aspects, he briefed the railways adviser, who gave the nod to resume the studies and detailed design, he told The Daily Star yesterday.

WHY THE TWO PROJECTS IMPORTANT

Currently, the existing 320km Dhaka-Chattogram rail route goes through Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura-Cumilla-Laksham route.

So, discussions for constructing a chord line to cut the route short went on for decades, with BR carrying out a feasibility study in 2010.

In 2012, the ministry sent a proposal for constructing the line under a public-private partnership. But this did not see much progress.

Apart from reducing distance, the shortened route will also reduce BR's operational cost and increase BR income as more people may take train rides, BR officials said.

Once the new line is built, it can be used as a dedicated line for passengers, with the existing line reserved for freight service, they said.

"I think this project should have been implemented much earlier for the benefit of the railway and its passengers. We should give the highest priority to the project now," a top BR official said.

On the other hand, the Hardinge Bridge, which already recorded 110 years of use and counting, is one of the many structures built by the British empire.

The bridge is significant in the country's history.

But the old bridge should be replaced by a new one, and thus the study and detailed design should be done as early as possible, he said, wishing anonymity.

Comments

Dhaka-Cumilla Chord Line

Hope revives as BR resumes studies, designs

Passenger rail services via Padma Bridge

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has resumed the feasibility study and detailed design for a chord line from Dhaka to Cumilla via Narayanganj.

The line will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram by 90 kilometres and travel time by two hours, say BR officials.

The authority also resumed the study and designing for a bridge parallel to the existing century-old Hardinge Bridge over the Padma river.

"We have resumed the studies following the ministry's directive," Project Director Abidur Rahman told The Daily Star yesterday.

The development came around six months after the railway authorities halted the study following the directive of the previous government reportedly over a financial crisis.

The previous government in June 2020 approved a Tk 235.37-crore Technical Assistance Project, with the Asian Development Bank providing Tk 167.14 as a loan for feasibility studies and designs of 11 potential projects.

In February last year, a joint-venture firm was hired to carry out preparatory works for upcoming projects, including the chord line and second Hardinge Bridge.

After carrying out some work, the firm proposed four possible aliments for building the chord line.

In March this year, the then prime minister directed to postpone the study for the chord line and second Hardinge Bridge, citing financial crisis, BR sources said.

On March 12, the railways ministry directed the project director to suspend the study and detailed design of the two components.

After the political changeover on August 5, discussion for resuming the studies for both projects came to the fore, BR officials said.

Railways ministry last month directed BR's director general to resume study and detailed design with two conditions in mind -- avoiding land acquisition as much as possible to save time and cost and using the existing infrastructure as much as possible.

Contacted, Railways Ministry Secretary Abdul Baki said BR officials told him about the necessity of the two projects during a meeting.

After knowing about all aspects, he briefed the railways adviser, who gave the nod to resume the studies and detailed design, he told The Daily Star yesterday.

WHY THE TWO PROJECTS IMPORTANT

Currently, the existing 320km Dhaka-Chattogram rail route goes through Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura-Cumilla-Laksham route.

So, discussions for constructing a chord line to cut the route short went on for decades, with BR carrying out a feasibility study in 2010.

In 2012, the ministry sent a proposal for constructing the line under a public-private partnership. But this did not see much progress.

Apart from reducing distance, the shortened route will also reduce BR's operational cost and increase BR income as more people may take train rides, BR officials said.

Once the new line is built, it can be used as a dedicated line for passengers, with the existing line reserved for freight service, they said.

"I think this project should have been implemented much earlier for the benefit of the railway and its passengers. We should give the highest priority to the project now," a top BR official said.

On the other hand, the Hardinge Bridge, which already recorded 110 years of use and counting, is one of the many structures built by the British empire.

The bridge is significant in the country's history.

But the old bridge should be replaced by a new one, and thus the study and detailed design should be done as early as possible, he said, wishing anonymity.

Comments

অর্থনৈতিক প্রবৃদ্ধি, বাংলাদেশ পরিসংখ্যান ব্যুরো, জিডিপি প্রবৃদ্ধি,

অর্থবছরের প্রথম প্রান্তিকে প্রবৃদ্ধি নেমে এসেছে ১.৮১ শতাংশে

বাংলাদেশ পরিসংখ্যান ব্যুরোর তথ্য অনুযায়ী, চলতি অর্থবছরের জুলাই-সেপ্টেম্বর প্রান্তিকের এই প্রবৃদ্ধি ২০২১ অর্থবছরের দ্বিতীয় প্রান্তিকের পর সবচেয়ে ধীর।

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