Padma rail link completion delayed by one year

FHM Humayan Kabir | Published: April 06, 2024 23:01:56

The government has extended the completion timeframe for the 'fast-track' Padma Bridge Rail Link Project by one year to June 2025 from June this year, as the Bangladesh Railway is unlikely to finish the remaining work by the current deadline, according to officials.
Following the Bangladesh Railway's application, the Planning Commission recently shifted the time limit for the entire 172km Dhaka-Jashore corridor to the new date, they said.
While the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga section is complete, the Bhanga-Jashore section requires additional time to finalise the entire project, said rail ministry officials.
A senior Planning Commission official related the railway's sluggish project implementation and subsequent development fund surrender to the delay.
"This is because the state-run railway has already surrendered 13 per cent of its annual development budget due to implementation failures," said the official.
Before finalising the revised Annual Development Programme (ADP) last month, Bangladesh Railway requested a lower annual allocation of Tk 47.86 billion -- down from the original outlay of Tk 55.0 billion for FY2023-24.
Officials said Bangladesh Railway proposed trimming most funds from its available Chinese loan in the form of project aids in the current fiscal year. This is because the state-owned rail transport agency failed to complete the entire corridor up to Jashore.
The Padma railway link is a flagship project for Bangladesh, as the country's less-developed southwestern region was connected to the capital city by roads via the Padma Bridge in June 2022.
In August 2016, Bangladesh Railway appointed a Chinese company to build the rail link from Dhaka to Jashore via the Padma Bridge and Bhanga in Faridpur.
Earlier on 3 May 2016, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project, with an initial cost of Tk 349.89 billion.
However, before construction began, the government revised the project in May 2018, raising the cost to Tk 392.47 billion.
The project cost is split between the government -- Tk 182.10 billion, and the Exim Bank of China -- Tk 210.37 billion.
Bangladesh Railway has already completed the Dhaka-Mawa-Padma Bridge-Bhanga section, which is part of the total 172 km Dhaka-Jashore corridor. The railway has begun commercial operations on this section.
"But full track installation will require additional time," said a BR official, adding, "Once complete, the project will connect the underdeveloped southern districts with the developed central region."
The single-track line is designed for a maximum speed of 120 km per hour. The rail corridor via the bridge provides a direct rail link between Dhaka and southern areas, especially Mongla seaport and Benapole land port.
The total track length is 215.22 km, including a 172km broad-gauge main line and 43.22 km of loops and sidings. Bangladesh Railway will also import 100 broad-gauge passenger coaches under the project.
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