Padma rail service closer than ever
We are delighted to see the successful trial run of a special train from Faridpur's Bhanga area to Munshiganj's Mawa area via the Padma Bridge, the first train to cross the mighty river after about nine months of the inauguration of the road section of the bridge. With that, the 6.15km-long multipurpose bridge project, with a four-lane highway on the upper deck and a single-track railway on the lower deck, reaches an important milestone. Commercial operation will not begin until September, when the prime minister is expected to inaugurate the 82km-long Dhaka-Bhanga rail line via the bridge. By June next year, the planned 169km-long rail line connecting Dhaka with Jashore is expected to be finished.
It brings us immense joy to know we're inching closer to that goal and the possibility that it holds. Reportedly, the first train journey was conducted in a festive manner, with the railways minister and the local lawmaker in attendance. People were seen greeting the passengers with cheers on the way. Many stood near their houses or railway tracks and captured the scene on mobile phones. School children were also seen waving to train passengers. Speaking to journalists after inaugurating the trial run of the first train, the railways minister said: "With this journey, Padma Bridge has reached full fruition."
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The Tk-39,247-crore Padma Bridge Rail Link Project is an important part of the vision surrounding the Padma Bridge. Once the entire 169km-long rail line with its 20 stations is opened to the public, the distance from Dhaka to Jashore would decrease by 200km, and the travel time would be halved – from about 10 hours to five. Together with the newly established highway connectivity, it will lead to not just much faster communication between the capital and the 21 southwestern districts of Bangladesh, it will also expedite the economic transformation of this region, which is already underway. As an expert has mentioned, economic activities – i.e. fish trade, food processing, tourism, trade of jute and other agricultural products, etc. – will increase more due to the reduced cost of doing business. The government will also need to establish industrial zones, and ensure sufficient supply of electricity, gas and other resources to encourage the establishment of garments, leather goods, cement, pharmaceuticals and textile industries, which will open up employment opportunities for millions of people and reduce poverty in the region.
However, without building the necessary industries and supportive infrastructure to take advantage of the increasing connectivity, the Padma Bridge, which is only 40km away from Dhaka, cannot reach its full potential. We, therefore, urge the authorities to take appropriate steps in this connection to support our vision for the southwest, which demands greater policy support in terms of economic and administrative expansions. Moreover, they should ensure that the rail link project is completed on time and within budget.
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