Bangladesh Railway reels from dilemmas with its nine ongoing and new study projects pending with the Planning Commission for long awaiting approval, officials said.
They said many of these projects have been pending for over six months although the project-evaluation committee (PEC) review of the projects was done.
Failing to get the seal of approval after meeting necessary requirements of the PEC, the official sources said they find it hard to pace up the ongoing projects and start studies on fresh ones.
Many of the study projects are supposed to be completed by this coming June but have lost gear waiting for approval.
Among these projects, feasibility study for finding viability of the setting up of electric traction from Narayanganj to Dhaka up to Chittagong was sent in December 2015, and PEC vetting of that project was done in January 2016.
One official, preferring not to be quoted by name, said the BR had already written to the Planning Commission for approval several times, but to no avail yet.
BR officials said due to the delays, railway's due progress in services has been in a stalemate as implementation of its one project is linked with another.
According to sources, feasibility projects were to find viability of introducing circular train for Dhaka city and subway between Tongi and Dhaka extended up to Narayanganj.
Other study projects include feasibility of setting up rapid rail track between Dhaka and Chittagong via Comilla-Laksam, electric traction (overhead and substation) between Dhaka and Chittagong from Narayanganj.
The ongoing projects which were sent for either second or third revision were regarding the setting up of computer-based interlocking colour lights at four stations on Iswardi-Joydevpur section, rehabilitation of damaged rail track in Chinki Astana-Asuganj section, consulting engineering service for Dhaka-Chittagong Railway project and skill- development programme, double-track construction between Laksam and Chinki Astana and procurement of 20 meter-gauge diesel electric locomotives and 150 meter-gauge passenger coaches.
However, Planning Commission officials alleged that the BR took time to send revised project proposals after meeting required information sought from the PEC meeting.
But, they said, some projects like subway construction remained pending due to having clash with other projects taken up by different ministries.
The BR officials, however, refuted the Planning Commission's allegations. They said for reasons not known the Planning Commission is not giving approval for the BR projects even after meeting necessary requirements in time.
They deplore that the Planning Commission only approves BR's such projects which are of national interest, for example, Padma Rail Link and Pyra Port Rail Link projects.
The BR authorities allegedly find lukewarm response when approval is sought for other projects which are discussed less at national level.
"But BR's development is very much linked with one project to another, and delay in one project effects speedy implementation of another," said the official.
smunima@yahoo.com
