Trial run on Nov 2, inauguration Nov 12

OUR CORRESPONDENT | Published: October 21, 2023 21:24:42

A partial view of Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line in beach town Cox's Bazar — FE Photo

COX'S BAZAR, Oct 21: The trial run on the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line is scheduled for November 2, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina set to inaugurate it on November 12, according to railway authorities.
As part of the project, nine rail stations have been constructed on the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar stretch, including the construction of an eye-catching oyster-shaped railway station in beach town Cox's Bazar.
Besides, elephant overpasses have been built to facilitate the movement of the Asiatic elephant and wildlife, marking a pioneering effort in South Asia, as the railway lines traverse protected forest areas.
Project officials said the 100-kilometre railway line, stretching from Chittagong to Cox's Bazar, is being implemented at a cost of Tk 1834.47 billion.
On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of the metre-gauge rail line, encompassing the segments from Dohazari to Ramu and from Ramu to Cox's Bazar -- covering a combined length of 88 kilometres and 12 kilometres, respectively.
In 2010, the government began the ambitious single-line dual-gauge track construction project, spanning from Dohazari to Ramu to Cox's Bazar and extending from Ramu to Ghumdhum near Myanmar. The initial phase focuses on a 100.83-kilometre single-line dual-gauge railway track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar via Ramu.
Under the project, nine railway stations, four major bridges, 47 small bridges, 149 box culverts and 52 round culverts have been constructed. Besides, some 96 level crossings have also been completed.
Mofizur Rahman, project director of the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway project, said the newly established railway line is now fully ready. The world-class, state-of-the-art iconic station is poised for seamless operation.
The railway authority has confirmed that the draft agreement for the construction of Kalurghat Bridge in Chittagong has been forwarded for final approval from Korea.
The contract is slated for swift execution, paving the way for the commencement of bridge construction. Preparations to renovate and fortify the existing Kalurghat Bridge in Chittagong, ahead of the launch of train services on the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar route, are currently underway. The renovation project is expected to conclude by the end of October.
Following the inauguration of the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line, commercial train operations will not immediately commence. A commercial launch is anticipated after an interim period. During this time, trains may operate at a restricted speed on the existing Kalurghat Bridge.
The newly constructed Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line is designed to accommodate locomotive trains with speeds of 100 to 120 km per hour. Until the new bridge at Kalurghat is completed, trains will operate at reduced speeds exclusively on the old bridge section.
However, once the new bridge is completed, trains are expected to operate at speeds of 100 to 120 km per hour.
Railway authorities have further said that a train, consisting of six compartments and a 2000 series engine, is stationed at Chittagong Patia for testing purposes. Each of these coaches, procured from Korea, has a seating capacity for 60 passengers.
The dual-gauge and single-track railway project, which commenced in 2018 -- almost seven years after being inaugurated by the Prime Minister -- is being financed by the Asian Development Bank and the government.
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