BR plans expansion drive with Tk 840b projects

Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to undertake a major expansion programme involving 13 new projects worth Tk 839.9 billion, with a focus on track development, gauge unification, procurement of coaches and locomotives, and modernisation of maintenance facilities.
Officials said most of the projects are either at the feasibility study stage or have already secured funding commitments, while preparation of Development Project Proposals (DPPs) is underway.
However, visible improvements in train operations and network capacity are unlikely within the next three to four years due to the huge investment requirements and lengthy implementation process, according to sources.
BR is currently implementing 31 projects, many of which have progressed slowly because of funding constraints.
Officials said the situation has improved somewhat as the present government has attached greater importance to the railway sector.
Under the proposed projects, BR plans to establish three new carriage manufacturing and maintenance workshops at Rajbari, Syedpur and Parbatipur, including a dedicated facility for electric train maintenance.
The railway also plans to procure 90 metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives under two separate projects, alongside 260 broad-gauge coaches and 200 metre-gauge coaches under two other schemes.
Funding support from development partners, including the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), has largely been confirmed.
Most of the projects are scheduled for completion between 2029 and 2030, although officials said implementation could be delayed further because of lengthy procurement and approval procedures.
The government has proposed a Tk 99.40-billion allocation for Bangladesh Railway in the FY2026-27 budget and identified several railway schemes as priority projects, including the Bogura-Sirajganj dual-gauge railway line and inland container depots at Dhirashram and Nimtoli.
It has also announced plans to extend rail connectivity to 10 additional districts, including Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Magura, Meherpur and Satkhira.
Other priority projects include the Dhaka-Cumilla chord line, conversion of the Dhaka-Chattogram metre-gauge double line into a unified dual-gauge corridor, and the introduction of electric commuter train services between Narayanganj and Joydevpur.
Officials said these projects are aimed at increasing corridor capacity while improving speed and operational efficiency.
Among the 13 proposed projects awaiting approval, the Dhaka-Cumilla chord line through Fatullah and the Joydevpur-Mymensingh-Jamalpur dual-gauge railway project have nearly completed feasibility studies, while their DPPs are yet to be approved.
Projects to convert the Laksam-Chinki Astana-Chattogram and Tongi-Bhairab Bazar-Akhaura metre-gauge sections into dual-gauge double lines are also awaiting DPP approval despite receiving funding assurances from the ADB and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The Laksam-Chinki Astana-Chattogram project is scheduled for completion by 2032, while the Tongi-Akhaura project is targeted for completion by 2028.
Among the proposed schemes, the Chinki Astana-Chattogram and Tongi-Akhaura projects are the most expensive, with estimated costs of Tk 187.21 billion and Tk 145.87 billion respectively.
Officials said work on the projects could begin through sectoral block allocations once the DPPs receive approval.

smunima@yahoo.com