Train ops on Dhaka-Jashore route via Padma likely from Dec 1

Bangladesh Railway (BR) is likely to launch the commercial operation of trains on Dhaka-Jashore route via the Padma Bridge from December 1, ending a long-wait for the shorter route between the capital and the south western regions.
"We will carry out final trial on this route [Bhanga-Jashore] on November 21 and 22 and commercial operation is likely to start from December 1," Project Director Afzal Hossain told The Daily Star tonight.
The Railways Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan is expected to inaugurate the service with a new train on Dhaka-Khulna route on that day, Afzal said.
He said the 169-km line from Dhaka to Jashore will cut short the travel time by a half. It takes around eight hours to reach Khulna while it would take around four hours after the launching of the line, he said.
It would take around three and a half hours to reach Jashore which currently takes more than seven hours, he added.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) is constructing the 169-km broad-gauge single-line from Dhaka to Jashore via Padma Bridge at a cost of Tk 39,247 crore.
The project named Padma Bridge Rail Link Project is the biggest project for BR in terms of cost, over half of which is being provided by China as a loan.
The original deadline for the project was June 2022 and the latest deadline was June this year.
The Dhaka-Bhanga section of the line was opened in October last year and five trains are being operated through this section. The project tenure has already been extended up to June 2025.
BR is now preparing its next timetable (No-54) -- a book containing detailed schedules and timing of all trains -- and the timetable will have timing of some new trains to be launched on the south-western routes.
Talking to The Daily Star on October 29, BR's Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali said they were preparing the next timetable keeping the new Dhaka-Jashore line in mind.
"We are planning to increase trains on the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka Jashore routes," he told The Daily Star on that day.
BR sources said they were planning to launch a new train on Dhaka-Khulna route for an up-and-down trip daily.
With the same train, they will give up-and-down trip on Dhaka-Jashore route daily.
The Khulna-bound Sundarban Express and Benapole-bound Benapole Express will run as usual. These two trains will continue to operate via the Padma Bridge-Bhanga-Faridpur-Poradah route.
Earlier, route change of these two trains were in discussion. However, the railway authorities may not change the route considering possible people's protest from Rajbari and Kushita, sources said.
BR is expected to increase the number of trains after opening of the new line gradually.
But, BR sources said, they may not able be to reap the full benefit of the expensive project soon, mainly due to shortages of manpower and carriages.
According to the feasibility study of the project, at least 24 pairs of trains can be operated on the line daily once the entire 169km line is opened. But BR may not launch the expected number of trains on the routes via Padma Bridge due to lack of locomotives and manpower, they said.
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