The much-awaited train transportation through the Padma Bridge will start to operate in June this year. Thousands of passengers from south region of the country have been waiting to make their journey by train with sheer joy and pleasure.

At first phase, the train will be run on 82 km route from Dhaka to Faridpur via Padma Bridge. Then, from next year, it will be operated from Bhanga of Faridpur to Jashore.

However, director of ‘Padma Bridge Rail Communication’ project, Md Afzal Hossain told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “We will go for a trial run after completing the task of setting rail lines. Then, we’ll demand one month extension from the government. The deadline of starting formal train communication will be fixed upon government decision.”

According to the sources of ministry of railways, the works of setting rail lines on Padma Bridge and its two sides have been started in 2018. At first, it was planned to start the train communications on the same day of opening road-transportation. However, the decision was changed afterwards. The task of building Padma Bridge was set on Brdige dvision, while the task of assuring train transportation on the bridge was on Ministry of Railways. As a result, to set up 169 km long rail lines from Dhaka to Jashore via Padma Bridge and stations with other infrastructure, the Ministry of Railway took separate projects.

China has financed this G2G (government to government) project under construction. The duration of the project was set to 2024 and the total cost was fixed to Tk 39, 247 crore. If the train communication begins on Padma Bridge, then the distance of roads from Dhaka to Khulna will be reduced by 212 km.

According to the authorities concerned, 85 % of the total cost of making rail line over Padma bridge is financed by China. The government appointed China railway Group (CRG) in 2016 after getting assurance of required money. However, the project work was started in 2018 upon signing the debt treaty. Initially, the project cost was set to Tk 35,000 crore and the construction works were to be completed within 2022. The cost was increased to Tk 39, 247 crore and competition period was fixed to 2024. In addition, the extension of duel gauze line from Dhaka to Gendaria, construction of underground path in Titipara of Kamlapur in the capital and in Narail, along with other construction works were subjected to cost expansion. Hence, now the total cost is estimated to Tk 40, 424 crore.

Meanwhile, according to the information of Munsiganj correspondent of The Bangladesh Pratidin, the construction work of the rail line is going on in full swing to complete it within this June. Stone-less rail line was set on Padma Bridge and rail line finishing is reached to it both sides.

Padma Bridge Rail Communication Project engineer Salman Shah told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “To run the train communication system through Padma Bridge, the invoice of 100 meter-broad gauze is coming into the country. The work 172 km long crossing-less rail roads from Dhaka to Jashore is going on full swing. Only 6 km is left to be completed of 13 km long stone-less rail line. 100 % construction work is completed in 32 rail culverts, 37 underpasses and 13 rail bridges. The percentage of progression in total tasks is 90%.

From Madaripur, the local correspondent Belal Rizvi said 73 % of the project work has been completed. The construction work of rail road from Bhanga of Faridpur to Zazira of Shariatpur has been finished already. Now, the people of Madaripur are dreaming of going to Dhaka by train. On 31 km long rail road of this part, experimental truck cars have been set up for trial run On November 1, 2022.

From Shariatpur, the local correspondent of The Bangladesh Pratidin said the rail communication from Bhanga to no. 35 pillar of Jajira was started on trial basis. Already, 88% of construction work from Dhaka to Bhanga part has been completed.

Assistant engineer of Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, RM Riaz said, “According to the speed of construction work, it’s expected that the works of Bridge part would be completed in March or April this year. Our stations are getting prepared and hopefully train will run on the bridge in June.”

@The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on January20 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque