Trains getting converted to electric traction

An epoch change in Bangladesh's rail communications looks forthcoming as all train services are being converted to electric traction that would cut operational cost and travel time both, sources say.
Bangladesh Railway's long-held move for switching to electric traction finally sees the green light with the Planning Commission approving the first project on conducting study and doing the design on Dhaka-Narayanganj-Chattogram route to begin with, they say.
After getting the seal of approval six years after the submission of the DPP, the sources added, the state-run rail developer and operator has already prepared two more projects to conduct three feasibility studies and detailed-design works on introduction of the electric traction on main tracks in both east and west zones.
In one project, feasibility study and detailed design works will be conducted from Joydevpur to Rajshahi under Railway's west zone. The same works will be conducted between two routes from Joydevpur to Jamalpur, and from Akhaura to Sylhet under east zone under another project.

"The task has been necessary for long as BR's incurring loss increases every year due to increase in operational cost day by day. But the move had been shelved despite repeated effort by the BR during the last six years," says an official, indicating an inordinate delay in project clearance.
He cites initial estimation which shows that electric traction system will reduce the railway operational cost by two-thirds from the current level.
Official sources say expression-of-interest bids for the first feasibility study and design works for the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Chattogram route have already been called to select consultant for the Tk 15.06- billion worth of work.
According to official data, gap between income and expenditure of BR was Tk 16.44 billion in 2019 as its operational expenses exceeded operational revenues. The operational expense on that year was Tk 30.50 billion. The BR is now operating its train service through diesel which also causes for polluting environment.
The BR losses, however, have been multiple recently as the train  services remained suspended in 2020 and 2021 several times for suspension of people's movement to contain coronavirus infections in the country.
Meanwhile, BR's move to conduct the FS and detailed design works for introduction of electric traction in one line experimentally has been halted since 2015. Though the PC shot various queries, the Prime Minister finally gave the go for converting the rails to electric traction, first on the Dhaka-Narayanganj-Chattogram line.
Through the labyrinth of apparent dillydallying, the project cost has escalated from Tk 95.8 million to Tk 150 million.
Sources said though conversion of diesel-run train operation into electric one is less expensive, it would need to replace the locomotives with electric ones as well.
The BR has already been spending a good amount of money to procure and maintain diesel-operated locomotives.
The Indian Railways has already converted its 80 per cent of 45,881-kilometre rail network to electric traction.
Electric traction is economical, traffic growth-oriented as well as green compared to other modes of vehicles. It will also improve the train speeds and cut down travel time by 10 to 15 per cent.
Official sources say converting to electric traction should start forthwith to match with the Trans-Asian railway network in the offing.
When Russia has converted 51 per cent of its network to electricity use, Japan 75 per cent, China 68 per cent, and Malaysia 27 per cent, Bangladesh keeps lagging far behind the Asians in mobility in the emerging fast-moving world.
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