Govt completes design for electric train on Ctg-Dhaka corridor: PM

“The feasibility study and detailed design for installing electric traction for operating electric trains on the Chattogram-Dhaka corridor have already been completed,” he said.

The Prime Minister said this while replying to a question from Chattogram-12 constituency lawmaker Engineer Md Enamul Haque during the question-answer session in parliament this afternoon.

In reply to the question on whether the government plans to introduce an electric (bullet) train service on the route and, if so, when it would be implemented, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the project’s detailed action plan and implementation schedule would be determined after securing the necessary financing. 

“Steps will be taken to implement the project subject to securing financing,” he said, adding that once implemented, the project would enable electric train operations on the Chattogram-Dhaka corridor, increasing the average speed of trains and reducing travel time.

The Prime Minister also said the feasibility study and detailed design for constructing a chord line to reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram are currently underway.

“Once implemented, the project will reduce the distance between Dhaka and Chattogram and increase the average speed, enabling people to travel between the two cities in less time,” he said.
 Tarique Rahman said the government has also taken steps to convert the Dhaka-Chattogram railway route into a dual-gauge double line.

As part of the initiative, feasibility studies and detailed designs for constructing dual-gauge double lines on the Tongi-Akhaura and Laksam-Chattogram sections have already been completed, he said.

Of the two projects, the Laksam-Chattogram Dual Gauge Double Line Development Project proposal is under process for approval, while the preparation of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for the Tongi-Akhaura Dual Gauge Double Line Project is at the final stage, he added.

“I hope that once these two projects are implemented, Bangladesh Railway’s passenger transport capacity and train speed on the Chattogram-Dhaka corridor will increase,” the Prime Minister said.

The parliamentary session began at 3:30pm with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram in the chair. The first half-hour of the session was allocated for the Prime Minister’s question-answer session, reports BSS.