The Bangladesh Railway (BR) is experiencing an overwhelming surge in passenger demand for its newly introduced intercity trains operating on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar and Dhaka-Khulna routes via the Padma Bridge.
This surge has been pressing the state-owned train operator to increase its passenger capacity.
However, the BR is unable to increase the number of trains on either route or launch services on its recently inaugurated lines between Khulna and Mongla, and Akhaura and Agartala thanks to a shortage of rail coaches and locomotives, according to sources.
All these tracks were inaugurated by the prime minister prior to the election schedule announcement.
Ticket sales for the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar train opened online on November 23 for the inaugural journey on December 1. Officials said all 780 seats were sold out within minutes.
The BR experienced the same overwhelming response for the next four days till Monday this week.
"It took just a few minutes to sell tickets online as soon as the day's tickets were made available," said a BR official. The demand for train tickets to Cox's Bazar has skyrocketed as passengers eagerly await the first-ever journey to the world's largest sea beach city during the peak tourist season.
Meanwhile, in response to the high demand for the inaugural day, the BR traffic department sources said two more coaches will be added to the 16-coach train.
They also said that the BR had increased the ticket capacity by allowing 20 per cent of standing passengers on the Sundarban Express, which operates from Dhaka to Khulna via the Padma Bridge since November 2.
On the Dhaka-Khulna route, the train previously operated on a longer patch via the Jamuna Bangabandhu Bridge.
"We do not have any scope for increasing the number of trains in the next two months until a shipment of 39 coaches arrives in December. Therefore, we have allowed the sale of 20 per cent more tickets for standing passengers on the train," said an official.
He, however, said the ongoing BNP blockades have chunked out many bus passengers to trains operating on the Dhaka-Khulna route.
The BR launched the newly built track from Bhanga to Dhaka via the Padma Multipurpose Bridge on October 10, following its inauguration by the prime minister.
The newly built track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar was also inaugurated on November 1.
While the tracks on the two routes are ready, the BR has yet to complete related works, such as stations and signalling systems, which have delayed commercial operations.
The BR will start commercial operations with a provision for 450 Shovon Chair seats and 330 Air Condition Chair seats on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar train.
However, the BR has shown less interest in launching passenger train services between Khulna and Mongla and Akhaura and Agartala, as both tracks were constructed primarily as freight corridors for sub-regional connectivity.
"There is no demand for freight traffic, so we will not operate any services, even though the BR could provide carriages right now," said another official.
However, sources said that although both tracks could accommodate passenger trains connecting with various important stations, the BR is unable to start any such services due to capacity constraints.
smunima@yahoo.com