Rail project gets momentum

The Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Gundum rail project finally got momentum and Bangladesh Railway (BR) is now optimistic to begin the work from April next year.

BR is also aiming at constructing about 100.83km railway line from Dohazari in Chittagong to Cox's Bazar within the next three years as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an Ecnec meeting on April 19, said railway sources.

Additional Project Director (APD) Md Mofizur Rahman said they have invited tender for the project on September 26 this year. “It may take upto March next year to complete the procedures,” he added.

The land acquisition process has already begun, he said. “…construction work will start from April 2017,” he hoped.

Although the deadline for the project's implementation was extended till June 2022, directive has been given to make the Dohahazri-Cox's Bazar rail track ready by 2018, the APD said.

According to railway sources, Ecnec approved the “construction of single line dual gauge railway track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar via Ramu (100.831km) and Ramu to Gundum (28.382km) near Myanmar (1st revised)” project in April, with an estimated cost of Tk 18,034.48 crore.

About Tk 4,919 crore will come from the government while about Tk 13,115 crore as project assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), they said.

The ADB recently has approved $1.5 billion fund for the project, said APD Rahman, adding, the loan agreement between the government and ADB is expected to be signed in December.

Earlier in 2010, Ecnec approved the project for constructing a single-line meter-gauge track from Dohazari in Chittagong to Cox's Bazar via Ramu and Ramu to Gundum in Bandarban, involving Tk 1,852.35 crore, whose implementation period was from July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013.

The premier laid the foundation stone on April 3, 2011. But the project remained stalled as no donor was found, railway sources added.

Later, changes were brought to its design for establishing a link with Trans-Asian Railway corridor and bringing tourist city Cox's Bazar under the rail network, they said, adding, the single line project was turned to a dual gauge one through which both meter and broad gauge trains can ply.

New stations would be constructed in Dohazari, Satkania, Lohagara, Harbang, Chakaria, Dulahazara, Islamabad, Ramu, Cox's Bazar, Ukhia and Gundum under the project, said APD Rahman.

Alongside other infrastructures, 52 major bridges, 190 minor bridges/culverts and two underpasses would be constructed and 1,741 acres of land would be acquired to implement the project, he said.