Dhaka-Ctg rail line goes double-track, fully  

TBS Illustration

The entire 327km railway line from Dhaka to Chattogram will now become a double-track system as upgrading the 72km railway line from Akhaura to Laksam to a dual gauge double track has reached its final stage.

This is expected to have a significant positive impact on the transportation of passengers and goods between Dhaka and Chattogram. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the line tomorrow. 

Railway officials, public transport experts, and entrepreneurs all anticipate new opportunities and improved efficiency resulting from increased train frequencies and faster travel times. 

They, however, have urged authorities to expedite the construction of a new inland container depot (ICD) and increase the number of trains to fully reap the benefit of this development.

Kamrul Ahsan, director general of Bangladesh Railway, highlighted that the introduction of the double line will eliminate the need for trains to wait at stations for crossing, reducing time and costs associated with passenger and cargo transportation. 

Moreover, the launch of the dual-track system will double the train operation capacity on the route, he noted, adding that they will make efforts to increase the number of trains considering the availability of coaches and locomotives.

Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), expressed that rail transportation of goods is relatively cost-effective and safe compared to roads. However, due to line limitations, traders face difficulties in utilising rail for cargo transportation. 

Upgrading the Dhaka-Chattogram railway to a double track will solve this problem by increasing import and export through Chattogram port, he observed.

Hatem also emphasised that alongside increasing line capacity, the number of freight wagons, among others, needs to be expanded to foster business development. 

He pointed out that the capacity of Kamalapur ICD is currently limited and that trucking goods from there is time-consuming due to traffic congestion in the capital. 

Hatem further noted that businesses will fully benefit from the dual track of the Dhaka-Chattogram railway line once the construction of the proposed Dhirashram ICD is completed.

Md Suboktagin, director of the Akhaura-Laksam dual gauge double rail line project, confirmed to TBS that the primary work has been completed, but some minor tasks remain outstanding. 

The inauguration of this section is now slated for 20 July, he added.

The project director emphasised the importance of the Akhaura-Laksam dual gauge double line project in the national economy, saying that train operation capacity in the corridor is expected to double from 36 to 72 pairs upon the completion of the project. 

Upgrading the 72km segment to double track is projected to save 30 minutes to one hour of travel time, he added.

Potential impacts on cargo transportation

According to sources from the Chattogram Port Authority, the port handled 3.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers in the last fiscal year. 

In contrast, Kamalapur ICD only managed to handle 46,765 TEUs, which accounts for just 1.56% of the total cargo handling at the port.

Stakeholders believe that there is significant potential for increasing railway trade if the railway infrastructure is improved because approximately 70% of the imports released at Chattogram Port are destined for Dhaka and its surrounding areas.

Authorities have stated that Kamalapur ICD has previously operated at its full capacity of 90,000 TEUs per annum. However, the transportation of goods between Dhaka and Chattogram by rail has declined due to infrastructural issues. 

Kabir Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, is of the opinion that upgrading the Dhaka-Chattogram line to a double track would create new opportunities for the transportation of goods by rail. 

The authorities should increase the capacity of Kamalapur ICD, build new ICDs, and raise the number of wagons to fully capitalise on the upgraded Dhaka-Chattogram rail route, he suggested. 

"A large part of our export trade is conducted between Dhaka and Chattogram. Goods from Chattogram used to come to Dhaka in significant quantities by wagons even a few years ago from Chattogram port. It is much reduced now," he said.

In the past, each freight train had 30-40 wagons, each with a capacity of 30-32 tonnes, the number of such wagons has decreased, according to Kabir.

Project details

The project, titled "Construction of Dual Gauge Double Rail Line from Akhaura to Laksam and Conversion of Existing Rail Line to Dual Gauge", started in July 2014, involving a budget of Tk6,504.55 crore. 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has contributed Tk5,477.88 crore to finance this project.

While the original completion deadline was set for June 2020, several factors, including project expansion, recruitment delays, and obstructions by the Indian Border Security Force, necessitated an extension until June of last year, according to project officials. 

Project Director Suboktagin told TBS that a proposal has been submitted to extend the project's timeline until June of the following year, with the contractor assuming one-year defect liability. 

But, even with an extended duration, the cost of the project will not increase, but rather decrease slightly, he added.

The project's objective is to enhance the capacity of the Dhaka-Chattogram rail corridor by converting it into a dual gauge double line. Key elements of the project encompass the construction of a 144km main line, along with 40.60km of loop and the side lines. 

Furthermore, the project includes the establishment of 13 major bridges, 46 minor bridges, and 11 station buildings. The signalling systems at all these stations have been developed as part of the project.

According to sources in the ministry, the 64km railway from Tongi to Bhairab Bazar was upgraded to a double track in 2006-2018, resulting in a 30-minute reduction in intercity train travel time along this corridor. Similarly, the average speed on the 61km railway from Laksam to Chinki Astana increased to 65 km/h from 38 km/h following the double-track upgrade in 2018.

Additionally, in the same year, under an Indian loan project, 11.32km of double track was constructed, including the second Bhairab Bazar rail bridge and the second Titas rail bridge, connecting the entire Dhaka-Chattogram railway corridor, except for the Akhaura-Laksam section, to a double line.