Plan to lay 80km rail line on both sides of Padma Bridge
To bring the country's southwestern part under a robust railway network, the government has planned for constructing 80 kilometer rail line on both sides of the proposed Padma Bridge and renovating the existing railway tracks in the region. As the proposed double-decker Padma Bridge will have provision of the rail line, the government thought about expanding the railway network to put in place a useful and safe communication system in the region, sources in the Ministry of Communications said. Under the plan, the sources said, new broad-gauge line will be constructed from Dhaka to Mawa and from Janjira to Bhanga, Faridpur at an estimated cost of Tk 4,700 crore. Besides, the existing Panchuria-Faridpur-Pukuria rail line will be renovated connecting Bhanga with Pukuria and Jessore with new broad gauge lines. The whole project will be implemented in two phases, the sources said adding that in the first phase, new broad gauge line will be constructed on Dhaka-Mawa-Janjira-Bhanga-Pukuria-Faridpur and Panchuria route. And, the broad gauge line from Bhanga to Jessore will be constructed in the second phase. The draft project profile (DPP) for renovation of the Panchuria-Faridpur- Pukuria rail line and construction of broad gauge line from Bhanga to Pukuria at a cost of T k 291 crore were already been sent to the Planning Commission. Communication ministry has already completed the survey for alignment of the rail line from Dhaka to Mawa and Janjira to Bhanga. In the Dhaka side, the rail line will be 50 kilometers from city's Gandaria to Mawa and in the Janjira side the line will be of 30 kilometers from Janjira to Bhanga. The sources said the DPP for 80-kilometer rail line on both sides of the Padma Bridge is now being prepared and the government has sought financial support from Asian Development Bank, World Bank and JICA for implementing the project.
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