Two-lane Tongi-Bhairab railway line opens soon

The two-lane Tongi-Bhairab railway line will open to the public in July this year as the construction work is nearing completion despite some problems in last two months, officials said.

Project Director Sagar Krishna Chawkrabarty said they have already stepped up efforts to complete laying the rail lines in stipulated time. Around 85 per cent of work has been finished, he added.

The project director said foreign consultants and engineers are unable to visit the site as their Dhaka mission office has asked them not to travel amid the chaotic political situation.

"We are also facing problem carrying ballasts and sleepers from the Benapole port to the project site."

Despite hurdles, he said, the construction work will be completed by June and the new railway line will open to the public by July.

China Railway Group, a state-owned company of China, is implementing the project at a cost of Tk 14 billion.

Local Toma Construction and Company Ltd (TCCL) is working as subcontractor to implement the 84-kilometre Tongi-Bhairab double lane railway project.

Of the total, 20 kilometres are loop line while 64 kilometres are main line with station buildings, car parking, approach roads and 84 bridges.

TCCL Managing Director Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan said the new lane would reduce travelling time between Dhaka and Chittagong. "Now trains wait on lines for crossing. If any accident takes place, then trains also wait at stations for hours."

Mr Rahman said out of 325-kilometre Dhaka-Chittagong rail line, only 200 kilometres are double track now. After opening of Tongi-Bhairab lines, it would be 284 kilometres.

He said 40-kilometre Akhaura-Laksam line is still single track, but within two months, tenders would be invited for setting up double line in this section.

According to a site engineer, the construction work of all the 84 bridges has already been completed. He said 90 per cent of the construction work on new stations, passengers' sheds, car parking and approach road has also been completed.

Ballasts and sleepers remained stuck in the land port due to the transport blockade, he said, and expressed the hope that they would arrive soon under special arrangements.

Within next three months, the project would be completed fully and the new line would also be ready for public use, he added.

Another railway official said the 84-kilometre two-lane railroad would save at least an hour travelling time.

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