Desk rReport:
The construction works of Chittagong-Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar-Gumdhum (CDCG) train route is going on in full swing.
Mohammad Mofizur Rahman, Project Director (PD) of CDCG said over 73% construction works of the project have been completed on November 15 this year while the remaining 27% will be done by June 2023 next.
Mofizur Rahman hoped that the rail communication will begin before December 2023 before six months of stipulated time.
BR sources said that the schedule of the project was to be completed in June 2022 and it has been extended by two years until June 2024.
The completion schedule has already been extended a number of times.
The project envisages laying 100-km of dual gauge railway line with nine station buildings, platforms and sheds.
He said a total of nine new rail stations have already been constructed on the new rail route to ensure fast and smooth movement of trains from the port city to the tourism town Cox’s Bazar as part of the mega project, he added.
PD Mofiz said, construction works of 28 bridges, out of 39, including four major ones, and laying of 52-km railway tracks, out of 100 km have so far been completed,
Besides, the Bangladesh Railway (BR) has taken up a Tk80 million project to renovate the century-old Kalurghat Bridge on the Chittagong-Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail route to facilitate uninterrupted running of trains on the route, the PD said.
BR entrusted Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) experts for conducting the feasibility studies, to enhance the capacity of the old bridge. The old bridge is capable for a train carrying a 10- ton load to pass at 10 km per hour.
Sources said the 239-metre-long Kalurghat dual-purpose bridge has now become unfit for both train and road traffic that was built in 1,930 over Karnaphuli river.
The century-old bridge has been playing a remarkable role in both rail and road communications between the port city and southern part of Chittagong district, and Cox’s Bazar district.
Project Director Mofizur Rahman said: “Over 73% construction work of the project has been completed so far. But, we cannot complete all work of the project within the previously set scheduled time of June 2022. So, we have sent a letter to the concerned ministry for extending the time to June 2024.Now we can hope that the plea will be accepted and the Chittagong-Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar-Ghumdum rail line project that will be completed before December2023 and trains will run on the route in December 2023,” he added.
He hoped that the rail communications will begin by December 2023 before six months of stipulated time.
Out of the TK18,034 crore project cost, Tk6,034 crore is being met from domestic sources while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing Tk12,000 crore as credit.
Two Chinese firms are implementing the project.
