The much-awaited commercial rail operation through the Padma Bridge is likely to start in the first week of October, with the initial target of running three up-and-down trains every day.
However, sources said that only one set of trains will be operated from Bhanga to Dhaka per day for a month, as not all stations have been completed yet.
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) plans to increase the number of trains to up to three from Khulna, Faridpur and Benapole via Jashore, as rail-service demand from these southwestern districts is high, thanks to the shortened distances to Dhaka following the construction of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
Sources said that all stations from Bhanga to Dhaka will not be completed by September 30, even though the Ministry of Railways has directed the inauguration to be in September.
"The full-fledged commercial train operation actually depends on many factors, including signalling and crossing stations, which may not be completed before December," a project insider told the FE while speaking on condition of anonymity.
He said that the crossing currently will not be available before Dhamrai station.
Meanwhile, sources said Srinagar, Keraniganj and Nimtoli stations having crossings from Dhaka to Mawa are unlikely to be completed before the commercial operation opens.
Afzal Hossain, director of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, told the FE that they have been working to finish the track development work along with some major stations, such as Bhanga Junction Station, Padma Station, Shibchar Station and Mawa Station, by September.
He said on the inaugural day, only one train will be running up and down between Bhanga and Dhaka.
According to a senior official of the BR operation section, running three trains on both sides from southwestern districts is the highest priority, as the distance between Khulna and Dhaka will be reduced by more than 212 kilometres.
He, however, said that without crossing stations, more train operations cannot be possible, even if planned.
It was learnt that the BR also plans to run a train from Rajshahi and from Gopalganj later on.
The Tk 392.46 billion Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, which was launched on January 1, 2016, has recorded 80 per cent overall progress in developing 169 kilometres of single broad gauge track through the 6.15-kilometre road-cum-rail bridge on the mighty river Padma.
As the rail track has been constructed in four parts, including 3 kilometres from Dhaka to Gandaria, the progress of Mawa to Bhanga is 95.5 per cent. However, the progress of Dhaka to Mawa is 78 per cent, while Bhanga to Jashore is 75 per cent.
The project office has already carried out a trial run of a train from Bhanga Junction Station to Mawa Station through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge on April 4 this year.
The Padma rail work is a fast-track project being funded 85 per cent by the Chinese EXIM Bank. However, the delay in agreement with the bank lapsed two years and the contract was signed on April 27, 2018.
Project insiders said they are trying to complete Keraniganj and Nimtola crossings first to operate more trains. The total number of stations between the 179-kilometre track is 20.
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