The cost of the Joydebpur-Ishwardi double-line works is surging substantially, thanks to years of project delays over a funding issue.
The latest feasibility study has found that the construction of the 164-kilometre dual gauge rail will require around Tk 180 billion, Tk 40 billion more than the estimate five years ago.
Initiated in 2014 with Chinese funding support, the Bangladesh Railway (BR) project had its first feasibility study in 2015, which estimated the cost at Tk 80 billion. A second study, conducted in 2018, revised the estimate to Tk 142.5 billion.
Then came China's abrupt pullout from the rail work, leaving the key rail network expansion for the country's northwestern region in limbo for years.
Now as the rail authorities are trying to revive the work with Japanese funding, the project gets the third feasibility study, signalling the cost escalation for the already expensive project.
The fresh project revision under the Japan International Cooperation Agency's support started in 2021 after China finally withdrew from the funding in 2020.
According to sources, the actual estimation for the project would be ascertained after completing the detailed design which is expected to start next December.
Currently, the BR has a third line from Dhaka to Tongi and two dual gauge lines from Tongi to Joydebpur. But the Joydebpur to Ishawardi route has only a single line for trains to commute to and from the northwestern swathe to the capital.
On top of the cost escalation, the latest study, which was conducted with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), found that the entire 164-kilometre corridor would be more viable than other options, such as developing part of the track or passing loop stations.
The study also proposes two new stations at Mirerbazar near Mouchak and Alenga after Tangail. This would bring the total number of stations on the corridor to 25, up from 23 in the earlier study by the Asian Development Bank.
Sources said the study done by Oriental Consultant Global Company Ltd, Chodai Company Limited and Japan International Consultants for Transportation Company also found a reduction of train demands to 64 from 74 in 2040 from the present 25 trains due to the Padma rail link.
The study has found that trains demand on the section will be reduced significantly due to the development of the Padma rail link by 2028 but road passengers will be shifted to trains.
It also found no difference between the findings of the ADB study and the latest one and noted that the growth rate of train services will be five per cent.
The JICA study also found the growth rate in road transport to be three per cent.
Officials said construction of the dual gauge rail line from Joydebpur to Ishwardi section will take time as detailed design work will end next year.
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