Dhaka Bureau: The Dhaka-bound Mahanagar Express entered Akhaura at 4:25 p.m. with a delay of only five minutes for the first time in 2023. The advantage of double lines is found. Alhamdulillah.’ Jabedul Alam Mahin wrote this on a Facebook page named ‘Brahmanbaria Railway Train Information’. This has been confirmed by several local sources.
The train from Comilla to Akhaura was delayed due to the crossing. because a dual-gauge double line has been started on that route since Tuesday. Due to this, not only the Mahanagar Express but other trains on this route also got the benefit of not falling at the crossing. Dhaka-bound Suvarna Express and Chittagong-bound Mahanagar Prabhati crossed the double line at Kasba area for the first time after the unofficial launch on Tuesday (July 18). According to a related source, the Akhaura-Laksam 72-kilometer dual-gauge double line is scheduled to be officially inaugurated on Thursday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina can attend the inauguration ceremony virtually from Ganobhaban. On this occasion, the opening ceremony is to be organized at Laksam, Comilla. Through this, there will be no more crossings on the 321-kilometer Dhaka-Chittagong railway. Due to this, the operating time of the train will be reduced by 20 to 40 minutes. According to sources, both meter-gauge and broad-gauge trains will be able to run on this new route. Currently, a total of 23 pairs of trains ply this route. As a result of the implementation of the project, the capacity of 72 pairs of trains will be created through this route.
Along with that, the capacity of freight container movement will also increase several times. The project, implemented at a cost of 6 thousand 504 crore, 54 lakh, and 50 thousand rupees, was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on December 23, 2014. The construction contract for the project was signed on June 15, 2016. Construction began on November 1 of that year. On September 24, 2022, the 25-kilometer section from Comilla to Laksam was opened for train traffic. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is giving a loan of Tk. The European Investment Bank is giving a loan of 1 million 359 crore rupees. And the government funding is 1 thousand 26 crore, 66 lakh, and 22 thousand taka.
The implementation of the project was delayed due to various reasons, including Corona. In the meantime, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) blocked the construction of Brahmanbaria’s Kasba railway station and the Salda River rail bridge. The BSF alleged that the construction of new infrastructure within 150 yards of the border violated the law. Objections were first raised on September 9, 2020. It is closed for construction from March 25 to April 7, 2021. Later, the work continued for some time, but it had to be stopped on June 10 of that year.
In this situation, on January 1 last year, the construction of the bridge was started based on the discussion of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials, but it had to be stopped after 13 days. But the construction of Kasba station could not be done. But it is not that the path is new. Since 1890, the existing railways and stations have been renewed. Several letters were exchanged between the concerned authorities of the two countries regarding these issues.
Finally, on March 12, the work started without any interruption in the said part. In this regard, the senior assistant executive engineer was related to the project. Abdullah told reporters that the construction of the 72-kilometer dual-gauge double line from Akhaura to Laksam has been completed. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the project on March 20.
