Rail track installation works were formally inaugurated yesterday (Saturday) on the lower deck of Padma Bridge, taking the Dhaka-Jashore rail project even closer to its dream come true.
Railways Minister Nurul Sujan inaugurated the works at Zajeera end of Padma Bridge at around 12 noon.
The minister, attending the inaugural programme as the chief guest, said that Padma Bridge will be completed within next four months. Six passenger trains will be operated through the line when it is completed.
He said, “This rail link will help to establish direct rail communica
tion between Dhaka and the south-western regions of the country. Construction work is divided into three parts which are Dhaka-Mawa, Mawa-Bhanga, and Bhanga-Jashore. It's work is progressing at a faster pace.”
According to project officials of the Padma Bridge rail link project, trains will run through Padma Bridge next year. Most of the rail line installation work will be conducted at night. Vehicles speed will be kept at a limited speed when the installation work will continue at night. At the beginning, the train will run from Dhaka to Faridpur’s Bhanga via Padma Bridge.
In 2018, the construction of the Padma Bridge and the railway line at both ends started. From the very beginning of the work, there was a plan to run the train simultaneously with road bridge. But it was not possible. China is financing this railway project through Government to Government (G2G) agreement. According to the contract, the rail link project is supposed to complete in June 2024.
The cost of the railway line and its infrastructure has been estimated at Tk 39,247 crores. About 62 percent work on the Dhaka to Mawa section of the rail project has been completed and 81 percent of the Bhanga section has been completed from Mawa. An estimated 52 percent of the section from Bhanga to Jessore has been completed.
Lawmakers from Madaripur-1 Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury along with officials of Railway Ministry and Padma Bridge were present at the inauguration ceremony of laying the railway track.
On 25 June last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge and the bridge has been open for the public since then.
