Billions of taka splurged on big-deal rail upgrade produced peanuts in making services smart from ticketing to managing and monitoring network with digitization and modernisation, sector experts tell a reappraisal meet.
The lacking, they regret, left the pro-poor commuter service still lagging behind in modal shares of vehicles.
Speaking at the seminar Tuesday, they laid importance on a digitalization master plan, advisory supports with research findings and setting up dedicated university or departments to guide the Bangladesh Railway in project implementation for making it 'smart railway'.
The seminar on 'Bangladesh Railway in Development Advancement: Challenges and Remedy' was held at the CIRDAP auditorium with Railway Secretary Mohammad Humayun Kabir in the chair.
The Ministry of Railway (MoR) organised the seminar to find means of making the railway sector modern and commercially successful by identifying challenges in the ongoing development activities.
Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujon attended the seminar as chief guest while State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on MoR Asaduzzaman Nur and Director-General of BR Dhirendra Nath Mazumder as special guests.
Former Rail Secretary, Chief Strategist, e-Governance of A2I, Farhad Zahid Shaikh and Director of Accident Research Institute Hadiuzzaman also spoke on the occasion. Additional Director-General (Infrastructure) Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan presented the keynote paper.
The ARI director highlighted shares of railways in passenger and goods transportation and said, "When modal shares on road increased 10 times, rail share remained negligible for a lack of focus on proper modernization plan."
He focused on increase in freight service, especially following the opening up of the opportunity after the Padma Bridge inauguration for rail service, and said it would help the sector be commercially viable.
Dr Hadiuzzaman also laid importance on enhancing capacity of Inland Container Depot (ICD) by setting up more. He said the Padma bridge inauguration would create scope of connectivity with ports and regional corridors, which is likely to increase pressure on Kamalapur ICD.
"The BR has to carry a big portion of the freight transportation after the Padma Bridge inauguration as a prediction shows 3000 TEUs are likely to head towards Dhaka city," he told the meet.
He was, however, critical of BR's role in the design of the Padma Bridge rail capacity.
''When double line could be planned in the 15-metre-width Hardringe Bridge, built over 100 years ago, why it could not be done in the 20-metre-width Padma bridge after 100 years," the ARI director asked.
Farhad Zahid also highlighted BR's lagging behind in digitalization and said it needs a culture and mindset to make a smart railway removing misconception.
He said despite having 24,459-strong manpower, it could not make the payroll computerized as the BR has no ICT department, ICT experts, digitalization plan.
He proposed setting up smart railway like Smart Bangladesh establishing four pillars - smart citizen, smart society, smart economy and smart governance.
The State Minister for ICT Division said technology support can solve all problems with little budget, enabling it to provide services with accountability, transparency, comfort and safety.
He called upon the BR to chalk out a smart vision like 2025, 2031, 2040 to meet those targets gradually.
Assuring the ICT Division's support to the BR in capacity building, formulating the master plan, software development etc, Palak said whatever the way BR wants the support, it is possible to provide.
Asaduzzaman Nur highlighted proper management of BR assets, including the huge land in an area, and said by providing necessary cooperation in Saidpur-like railway city, the BR can take part in the development activities managing its huge land property.
He said when scenario of North Bengal has been changed with many development works, Saidpur city was lagging behind like slums for not allowing any development there as the BR owns the land.
He also laid importance on proper management of railway lands to make the state-owned entity profitable.
The Railway Minister said, "Railway's development is being carried out in line with the Delta Plan but fruits of the development could not be enjoyed due to long tangles over recruitment."
He also said the digitization plan of BR taken in 2018 through using digital technology was delayed due to the coronavirus situation, while agreeing that rail can be made passenger-friendly and modern on a par with developed countries with the support of ICT.
smunima@yahoo.com
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