Physical work of electric traction on the rail-track from Narayanganj to Joydebpur is unlikely to start soon despite completion of its feasibility study and preparation of development project proposal (DPP), estimating the cost at Tk 39.33 billion.
Sources said approval of the DPP of the Dhaka-Joydebpur electric traction project would not be possible during the interim government's tenure due to the time needed now to complete the necessary procedures, including finalising development partners for it.
They said a request to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) for selecting the development partners has recently been sent, as the Asian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank have earlier shown interest in investing in the project at its initial stage.
The Bangladesh railway (BR) has been trying to introduce electric trains on its main corridor during the last nine years. It finally signed a contract with a Turkish consulting firm in July 2023 for feasibility study on the entire 348-km corridor.
The firm - TUMAS (Turkish Engineering, Consulting & Contracting Co) - submitted the study report in last September, proposing to carry out the entire electric traction work in two phases - Narayanganj-Joydebpur in the first phase, and Tongi-Chattogram in the second phase.
Both the works have been proposed to be completed in four years, including the tender process, officials said, adding that Tk 39.33 billion would be needed to complete the first phase of work.
The cost to convert electric traction from Tongi to Chattogram has been estimated at US$ 571 million. But, the work of this part cannot be started, as the BR's existing entire tract of Tongi-Chattogram corridor is yet to be converted to duel-gauge for running electric trains, they also said.
Mohammad Habibur Rahman, focal point of the physical part and also project director of the feasibility study project, said after completion of the electric traction work from Narayanganj to Joydebpur, train time would reduce to 50-60 minutes, which is now two hours.
He said the DPPs on the duel-gauge conversion of the two missing parts have already been ready.
The feasibility study proposed to develop overhead catenary, sub-stations, rolling stock and workshop for operating electric trains on the 50-km corridor in the first phase.
After converting the existing track into electric traction, only electric locomotives would need to be bought and would be used with the existing coaches.
A workshop has been proposed to set up on 12 acres land at Joydebpur, and the land needs to be acquired, he added.
Earlier, the BR planned to finalise tendering for the first phase in 2026, aiming to start electric commuter operations by 2028, and tendering for the second phase in 2030 - with the target to operate electric traction in 2033.
smunima@yahoo.com
