Army likely to get work for train links through Padma Bridge

 The Bangladesh Railway (BR) is considering to engage the Army to facilitate train links between Dhaka and southwestern districts through the Padma Bridge in order that it could be opened on the day of the bridge's inauguration.
Sources said the BR took the decision in this regard in an inter-ministerial meeting early this month and it is now exploring the possibility of appointing Special Work Organisation (SWO) of the Bangladesh Army as construction supervision consultant (CSC).
Experts including Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury were present in the meeting.
The meeting observed progress of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project as good as it has already awarded work order for its all five components.
The construction work of the 6.15 kilometre road-cum-rail bridge and river training work are likely to start in full swing shortly.
The meeting, however, recommended appointing SWO for a part of the CSC.
The BR felt the need for speeding up the process of the Padma Bridge Rail Connectivity project to fulfill the Prime Minister's commitment to start train service through the bridge from the day one, said officials.
The Ministry of Railway earlier announced to start the US $ 3.0 billion Padma Bridge Rail Connectivity project in March as a Chinese company came forward to build the tracks under government-to- government arrangement.
Though the BR and the China Railway Group Ltd (CRGC) signed agreement in this regard, negotiation on the commercial proposal of the Chinese company is yet not completed. Besides, land acquisition and detailed design work are yet not completed.
The BR will have to acquire over 535 acres of land for setting up new tracks along almost entire 172 kilometre rail route and complete resettlement work to start the project.
 "The Padma Bridge construction work has already begun with the target to open it in 2018. So it is now important to speed up the process of land acquisition and resettlement work," said an official involved with the BR project.
He, however, said the BR has not yet finalised the decision.
It is learnt that the BR held informal talks with the Army and is now preparing terms of reference for the part-1 of the CSC work.
The sources said, it has been decided to offer the Army the work as CSC with the support of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), the BRTA and foreign experts.
The work of the CSC part 1 is likely to cost over Tk 2.3 billion.
The 172-km rail track from Dhaka to Jessore through Mawa and Bhanga will have 43 km loop line, 23 km elevated viaduct, 46 major bridges, 244 minor bridges, 30 lavel crossings and 14 new stations.
Besides, under the project, six existing stations will be upgraded and computer-based signalling system will be introduced.
In the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, the SWO is also working as CSC for the part of the construction of two approach roads and service area development work. Due to lack of experience in this regard, the SWO also hired two international experts to support its work.
Though the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges provided the work to the SWO in partnership with the BUET, the civil engineering department refused to provide its support to the organisation.
Meanwhile, the Road Transport and Highways Division has also given the construction work of Dhaka-Mawa four-lane project to the SWO with the same target to speed up the process of implementation of the two-lane widening work.
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