The government agencies other than railway have continued to draw up plans for railway infrastructure development, putting billion-dollar investment projects like Jamuna bridge at stake.
Analysts said due to such kind of railway plans, Jamuna bridge known as Bangabandhu bridge could not utilise the full capacity of railway infrastructure.
They also apprehend that the Padma bridge rail facility is likely to be useless shortly after the inauguration as the bridge's railway facility will have single-track broad gauge but the BR planned to develop double-track on both sides of the country's costly Padma bridge.
Besides, they said, several other projects are likely to cause losses due to plans outlined by the government agencies other than Bangladesh Railway, the government's specialised agency of the multi-disciplinary railway sector.
The FE gathered the examples of such kind of plans for rail corridor by the shipping ministry from Payra seaport to Dhaka through the US$ 3.4 billion Padma bridge rail, Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway with high-speed electric train by the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) and rail connectivity with the economic zones by Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA).
Though officials concerned of these agencies said they have coordinated with the BR during the design stage of the projects, the BR officials claimed that most of their proposals were ignored.
"In most cases, our proposals were taken into consideration on the ground of increasing expense or having the possibility of losing control of the project by them," said a BR official preferring anonymity.
The BR officials said the road transport and bridges ministry has a plan to take up the metro rail project, although its nature and operation are very much related to the railway sector.
Sources said the BR has now to take up Jamuna bridge project at an estimated cost of Tk 97.40 billion to construct railway bridge parallel to existing Bangabandhu Jamuna bridge as it has been unable to take normal speed load of trains.
At present, trains cross the 4.15-kilometre Jamuna bridge at a speed of 10 kilometres per hour against normal 60 to 70 km.
BR officials claimed that in the planning stage, proposals were made to keep the scope of dual gauge double-track rail facility in the Padma bridge project, but it was rejected due to increase in the cost.
The government has recently taken decision to construct the Dhaka-Chittagong expressway entirely in elevated form with the provision of high-speed train but it allowed the BBA to conduct feasibility study.
Besides, over $ 7.0-billion rail infrastructure proposal has remained pending although the shipping ministry planned to develop rail corridor between newly launched Payra port and Dhaka.
Even though an effort has been made to coordinate the MoS's proposal with the BR's project to establish rail link with Padma bridge, it has not been possible yet.
It is learnt that as the BR has already signed a commercial contract with a Chinese company to set up the 225-kilometre dual gauge track on both sides of Padma bridge, MoS proposes to construct separate lines along the BR's one.
A United Kingdom's firm proposed construction of the rail link under the MoS as it has been working on Payra Sea Port development on various components.
BUET Professor Shamsul Hoque said railway is not like other organisations and its planning, development and operation should come under its authority from context of establishing ownership, sustainability of any infrastructure.
"Any project can be completed in support of other agencies, but railway-like system cannot. It should be done under the government's mandatory authority," he told the FE over phone.
Jamilur Reza Chowdhury who was also lead consultant of both Padma and Jamuna bridges expressed his ignorance about railway projects being planned under different agencies but said Padma bridge does not have scope to expand rail facility.
"If more tracks or lines are planned along Padma bridge rail link, it could be linked with another Padma bridge," he added.
smunima@yahoo.com
