BD signs deal with Indian co for 200 rail carriages

A contract has been signed with the Indian company RITES Ltd to procure 200 broad-gauge passenger carriages for Bangladesh Railway at a cost of over Tk 12.05 billion (1,205 crore and 54 lakh), reports UNB.
Railway Minister Md Zillul Hakim said: "Bangladesh Railway currently has 2016 carriages and 3,095 wagons. Recently, the railway network has been expanded in the southern part of the country after the opening of the Padma Railway Bridge. Alongside supplying new trains to the southern region, there is a need to replace old coaches with new broad-gauge passenger coaches. When providing carriages according to the time mentioned in the contract, it would be good for us if two sets of carriages are given in the next two months and the rest are scheduled."
The minister made these remarks at the contract signing ceremony with Bangladesh Railway and the Indian company RITES Ltd at the railway office in the city on Tuesday.
The project will be funded by the Government of Bangladesh and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The carriages will be made of stainless steel, equipped with air conditioning on the roof, automatic air brake system, and environment friendly features.