The construction of a double-track railway line between Khulna and Darshana, crucial for boosting regional trade and revitalising Mongla Port, is facing a further delay of at least a year.
This comes seven years after the project's approval, raising concerns about escalating costs.
Officials say upgrading the 126.25km patch on the Dhaka-Khulna rail corridor is crucial for boosting Mongla Port and regional trade. It will connect and streamline the Khulna-Mongla rail route, which was inaugurated late-2023, with the national train network.
Besides, the project is key to enhancing Bangladesh Railway's freight capacity and improving regional connectivity with India, Nepal and Bhutan through sea and land ports like Mongla, Darshana-Gede and Khulna-Chilahati.
Despite being taken up in October 2017 under the 2nd Indian Line of Credit (LoC), initial hurdles caused the delay.
Officials said they now have overcome the difficulties. A feasibility study and detailed engineering design are underway and targeted for completion by March. Floating tenders are expected by June, an official said.
However, the delay likely doubles the project cost from the $312.48 billion approved by ECNEC in February 2018. Initially, it was supposed to be completed by December 2022.
Project Director Mohammad Monirul Islam Firozi said that the final cost cannot be undetermined until the track design is complete.
However, the project cost will likely increase significantly due to the delay, he admitted.
The Bangladesh Railway (BR) signed a contract with an Indian-Bangladeshi joint venture for the feasibility study and design in August 2022 -- itself a delayed start.
The joint venture, comprising STUP Consultant Pvt Ltd India, AARVEE Associates Architects Engineers and Consultants Pvt Ltd of India and Development Design Consultants Ltd of Bangladesh, recently submitted the first interim design report in November.
Currently, the BR operates a single broad gauge line on the Khulna-Darshana section.
The project aims to upgrade this to 126.24km double lines with a 14.40km loop line. India will provide 77 per cent of the project cost as a loan.
smunima@yahoo.com