The Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital is proposed to be massively restructured and converted into a Multimodal Transport Hub (MmTH), according to an initial plan shared with the authorities concerned recently.
The construction work of the mega project is expected to start in 2030 provided all steps of the plan progress accordingly, official sources said.
Before then the existing station building will be shifted eastwards of the station area to continue the usual operations.
As per the new plan, the entire train operations, maintenance, and station building area of the station have been proposed to be transformed massively, aiming to increase commuter -and intercity-train services with 5.0-15-minute intervals.
The sub-working group on the project recently shared the proposal with Bangladesh Railway (BR) detailing its 'pre-master plan', also suggesting the introduction of commuter trains through dedicated two tracks of one platform.
The other five platforms have been proposed to be operated for the intercity trains.
"The entire Kamlapur station area will be remodeled keeping scopes for multi-modal transports as a city gateway," said an official.
However, the pre-master plan will take a few more years to get a final shape," he said, adding that the construction as per the final master plan will begin in 2030.
Officials said the 6th Japan-Bangladesh joint platform meeting scheduled on March 18 will discuss the pre-master plan. Selected as the lead company under a government-to-government public-private partnership (g2g PPP) initiative in 2019, Japan's Kajima Corporation presented the initial plan also proposing one platform for multipurpose use like freight train passing.
He, however, said the financial plan is yet to be finalized as the master plan needs more work to take a final shape.
A model for management of the PPP idea has been shared with the BR to invest in the station building while the PPP invests in the buildings for commercial uses. A third party will be appointed for the management purposes.
Officials said the SWG proposal would be finalized after more studies and consultations with different stakeholders.
They said the pre-master plan for MmTH has been designed based on a series of meetings with all concerned including BR, Rajuk, and PPP Authority officials.
During the last meeting held on February 12, the BR officials also placed some suggestions to accommodate detailed planning including relocation of the train washing shed and scope for high-speed train.
All these are at very initial stages though it has been prepared after long consultation since 2019, they added.
The Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Tourism recommended Kajima Corporation as the potential investor for the Kamlapur Multi-Modal project during the Bangladesh-Japan Joint Platform meeting in 2018.
The BR received the conceptual design of the MmTH from the Japanese company in 2019 where the company made reservations on the entry of any transport system from the front side of the station to make the project attractive.
It also proposed shifting the historic Kamlapur station building from its existing location, drawing criticism from different quarters.
The latest proposal also suggested remodeling the Kamlapur station as a concept of a new central railway station building which would have enough space for public functioning with commercial facilities and offices and hotels.
This station will have connectivity with MRT 1, 2, 4, and 6 with convenience transfer facilities for passengers with other transport modes. Separate concourse areas will be built for connectivity.
The conceptual plan of the building is to keep multiple exits from central east and central west along with southwest, southeast, northwest, and northeast sides which would enable passengers to easily access the station building.
Whatever the plan, it cannot be implemented without the relocation of the Inland Container Depot at the Kamlapur station.
As the entire 256 acres of land have other infrastructure including staff quarters and training facilities those would also be required to be shifted.
smunima@yahoo.com