Works on Dhaka-Ctg broad gauge rail line shelved

CHATTOGRAM, Nov 29: The works of the conversion of Dhaka-Cox's Bazar Railway route into broad gauge have now been shelved for a long time.

According to Bangladesh Railway sources, the government has taken a step to convert the metre gauge rail line into broad gauge in the Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway.

For this reason, Bangladesh Railway has taken a project to convert 320 km long Dhaka-Chattogram Rail line into broad gauge that will extend to Cox's Bazar.

Railway sources said, broad gauge rail line is existing in Kamalapur-Tongi, Akhaura-Laksham Route and the newly constructed Dohazari-Cox's Bazar route.

The conversion will increase the speed of trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram route which will reduce the distance by about an hour, Railway sources said.

Currently, Bangladesh Railway has taken projects to convert metre gauge into broad gauge in Tongi-Akhaura Route, Laksham-Chattogram route and Chattogram-Dohazari route. People concerned said the broad gauge line in the entire eastern region up to Cox's Bazar will remove the obstacles of constructing the Trans-Asia Railway Connectivity which will connect Bangladesh with China, Pakistan, India and Myanmar.

Besides, Bangladesh Railways is going to convert the entire Dhaka-Chattogram railway line from metre gauge to broad gauge by 2027 as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given primary assurance to finance the project. The conversion of the railway line would create direct rail links between Cox's Bazar and Rajshahi, and Cox's Bazar-Khulna. Currently, railway lines in the eastern region are in metre gauge, while the broad gauge tracks are mostly in the railway's western region.

The upgradation of the railway line will allow plying of high-speed broad gauge trains on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route, which will reduce the travel time by about an hour.

But strangely, the authorities could not go forward with the projects. 

Meanwhile, the donor agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to finance the project of 45 km long Ctg-Dohazari Dual gauge rail line, Railway sources said. The Bangladesh railway authorities have planned to construct a new broad gauge line through Pahartali to Dohazari to connect Dhaka-Chattogram and Cox's Bazar rail line only in broad gauge.

Currently, the construction of a new rail line in broad gauge from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar with financial assistance from ADB has already been completed and commercial train service in metre gauge from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar began.