Rail link with SW region thru' Padma bridge likely
The government is working on a plan to set up rail link between the capital city and the country's southwestern region through the proposed Padma bridge, official sources said.
The new 150-km railway up to Jessore may cost a total of US$ 820 million equivalent to Tk 5,658 crore in local currency.
The government is likely to provide US$ 170 million while the remaining US$ 650 million may come as loan from donor agencies.
Additional Director General of Bangladesh Railway Iqbal Molla confirmed the initiative and told the BSS yesterday that they have already put forward a proposal to the communication ministry to that end and sought an allocation of US$ 3.41 million to carry out a feasibility study on the proposed railway.
The government will be able to estimate the cost of the project including the setting up of rail lines, station buildings, signaling, land acquisition and such other things on completion of the feasibility, he added.
According to the proposal, the authorities want to build a broad gauge railway through the bridge up to Jessore and link it with the existing line with Khulna.
It will reduce the travel time and moreover, open direct trade route with India and other Saarc nations as part of the greater Asian railway network to carry passengers, goods and containers.
The Mongla port may get new boost with the opening of container services to and from the port city with the capital and down to Chittagong port.
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