No major progress despite repeated deadline extension

SYLHET, Jan 15: The much-talked-about Kulaura-Shahbajpur rail rehabilitation project in Moulvibazar has not witnessed major progress in work despite the repeated extensions of its deadline for its completion.

Only 27.5 per cent work on the rail track project has been completed though the third deadline expired in December 2023, sources said.

It will be difficult to finish the project work by 2024, workers said.

Meanwhile, the project contractor has sought further deadline extension until December 2025, the sources added.

Engineer Sultan Ali, project director at the Bangladesh Railway, said 27.5 per cent work has been completed until the third deadline of December 31, 2023.

"The project is now in progress," he said, adding: "We're trying our best to complete the work by the new deadline of December 2025."

After a long period of suspension, the contractor has geared up the project work recently.

During a visit to the project site, the correspondent found that workers are now busy constructing bridges and stations.

The 52.54km Kulaura-Shahbajpur rail section linked with Karimganj in Assam was established during the British period. But the railway link with the Indian part remained inoperative since the Pakistan period, according to the railway department.

Moreover, the Kulaura-Shahbajpur rail section was shut on July 07, 2007 following a revenue loss, which was a big blow to the people of Sylhet region.

Amid a widespread agitation in the region, the government decided to resume the train services on the rail route.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the rail track rehabilitation project on May 26, 2015 involving a targeted expenditure of Tk 6.78 billion.

The project was formally inaugurated during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Bangladesh on June 06, 2015.

The rail route includes six rail stations -- Kulaura, Juri, Dakshnbhag, Kathaltoli, Barlekha, Muraul and Shahbajpur.

Under the development programme, as many as 17 bridges, 42 small bridges and culverts would be constructed on the dual-gauze rail route.

Indian contracting firm, Kalindi Rail Nirman, was awarded the task while another Indian firm, Balaji Rail Road Systems, was made consultant.

They started work on the project on May 07, 2015 while the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India formally inaugurated it through a videoconference on September 10 the same year.

Sources said the Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh and the railway secretary visited the project site last year.

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