Bangladesh Railway (BR) has finally shelved its plan to introduce expensive high-speed train on the Dhaka-Chattogram route considering another option to set up a chord line with less investment, which will also reduce the travel time significantly.
Sources said it would be possible to bring down Dhaka-Chattogram train journey time to two hours by constructing a chord line from Dhaka to Laksam spending only around US$ 1.5 billion, which would eventually reduce the length of the route by 92 to 93 kilometres from the existing length of around 320 kilometres.
A feasibility study conducted by the BR last year estimated the cost of introducing high-speed train between Dhaka and Chattogram entirely on an elevated way at $10 billion.
The study showed that for a high-speed train with a speed of 300 km per hour, the non-stop travel time between Dhaka and Chattogram would be 55 minutes, and if there are two or three stoppages, the journey will take 73 minutes.
Transport experts, however, were critical of the idea, saying that the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram is not long enough for such high speed.
BR took the initiative in early 2018 to launch high-speed train on Dhaka-Chattogram route considering it a busiest corridor linking the capital with the port city.
BR officials said the chord line would reduce one-third of the Dhaka-Chattogram distance, saving more than two hours in travel time and bringing down operational cost.
"All the trains now run between Dhaka and Chattogram via Tongi and Gazipur. The length of this curved line can be reduced, if a straight line, known as called chord line, is constructed from Dhaka to Laksam," said an official. He also said the BR had the plan to construct chord line long before but could not do it, as the then government did not extend due support.
At a recent meeting with the Ministry of Railway, the BR has decided to put the issue of the high-speed train on a back burner, officials said.
BR has now taken an initiative to conduct a feasibility study on the chord line, they added.
A technical development project proposal has already been prepared to carry out the study along with the option to set up electric traction, as the BR will gradually convert diesel-operated train service on the Dhaka-Chattogram route into electric-based one, they said. An official said the BR took the decision on chord line after the Asian Development Bank has shown interest to invest in the project.
Meanwhile, the BR continues to incur losses even after it is increasing its investment every year.
According to the BR, the loss of the state-run train operator was Tk 17.38 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2018-19. The loss was Tk 14.31 billion FY 2017-18, Tk 15.31 billion in FY 2016-17 and Tk 13.25 billion in FY 2015-16.
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