Chittagong Cox’s Bazar Railway Line
CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE LINE DUAL GAUGE RAILWAY TRACK FROM DOHAZARI TO COX'S BAZAR VIA RAMU
AND RAMU TO GUNDUM NEAR MYANMAR BORDER.
SASEC, CHITTAGONG-COX'S BAZAR RAILWAY PROJECT, PHASE 1.
DOHAZARI COX'S BAZAR RAILWAY PROJECT (DCRP) : THE DREAM OF CONNECTING TO THE MUCH-DISCUSSED COX’S BAZAR RAIL LINE IS ON THE WAY TO REALITY WHICH WILL BOOST THE ECONOMY ALONG THE RAILWAY ALIGNMENT.
The Government of Bangladesh is functioning to enhance the country’s infrastructure by attaching the country’s railway network to each and every point. From this perspective, the development work of Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Railway Project (DCRP) is going into full swing. The target of this project is to transform Cox’s Bazar into a full-fledged tourist city. Besides, various economic development projects, including deep seaport, coal-fired power plant and industrial parks are progressing in Cox’s Bazar’s Maheshkhali. The Karnaphuli Tunnel, Officially known as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, is completely operational on the Karnaphuli River to facilitate and speed up the communication between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar.
The launch of the railway would mark the beginning of a multi-faceted mode of communication between Cox’s Bazar and the rest of the country. It will enable the people of this region to supply the products produced in this region easily to other parts of the country, while the people of Cox’s Bazar will be able to bring the products from all over the country at a much cheaper rate. The manufacturers of products will benefit from it. The locals have also been involved in the construction work of the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar rail line. It has created temporary jobs for the locals. Some are now dreaming of becoming small entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is an important trading and economic partner for China and opening a train service between Bangladesh and China is a significant development for the country’s international trade. The Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar Rail line Project will be extended to China in the future as part of the Trans-Asian-Railway Network. It also helps Bangladesh to meet its targets under its 7th Five-Year plan and its railway master plan. In the future, Bangladesh will be in a position to join the railway networks of different neighbouring countries, such as Myanmar, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia and South Korea. Also the project has been endorsed by the South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) trade facilitation and transport working group meeting held in Tokyo.
Finally, the rail line will connect with neighboring Myanmar via Gundum. It will eventually be expanded up to China, Malaysia and Thailand as part of the Trans-Asian Railway Network. The Government has successfully completed another TAR link between Agartala in Tripura, an Indian state, with Bangladesh via Akhaura. Besides, all the disrupted railway routes with India will be revived and Five TAR links have been nominated for Bangladesh.
Dohazari Coxs Bazar Railway Project Overview
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Consultancy Services is to provide design review and construction supervision service.
PROJECT LOCATION MAP
Here you will find the detailed project location map view From Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu.
PROJECT INTRODUCTION
Construction Supervision Consulting Services-1 for Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar Section. Project Number : 5060126/7060585
PROJECT PROGRESS
Here you will find the Lot wise project progress update for current situation. The report will show you some cumulative chart and table view.
Project Information
ABOUT BANGLADESH RAILWAY
Bangladesh Railway, a principle transportation agency of the country, is a Government owned and Government –managed organization. It’s divided into two zones, East and West, under the administrative control of two General Managers, who are accountable to the Director-General. Bangladesh Railway is one of the safest, most affordable and reliable means of transportation, providing millions of passengers with economic opportunities and access to educational, health and administrative services across the country and is an important means of transportation in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Railway is governed by the Ministry of Railways. Its reporting mark is "BR".
Project Name : South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Chittagong – Cox’s Bazar Railway Project , Phase 1.
Project Title : Construction of New Dual Gauge Single Railway Line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu.
Loan Number : 3438-BAN, 3439(SF)-BAN and 3780-BAN
Borrower : Government of Bangladesh
Executing Agencies : Bangladesh Railway, Ministry of Railways.
Development Partner: Asian Development Bank.
Client Address / Contact Details: Bangladesh Railway, Central Railway Building (CRB), Chattogram.
Implementing Agencies Consultants:
Construction Supervision Consultant(CSC): SMEC International Pty Ltd in JV with CANARAIL Consultants Inc, SYSTRA and ACE Consultants Ltd And in association with STRATEGI Consulting Company Ltd.
Project Management Consultant(PMC) : Development Design Consultant (DDC).
Implementing Agencies Contractors:
Lot 1 : CT joint venture (which consists of China Railway Group Limited & Toma Construction and Company Ltd.)
Lot 2 : CCECC-MAX C JV (which consists of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Max Infrastructure Limited).
Date of Contract Signing: Both Lot 1 and Lot 2 were 16 September 2017.
Total Estimated Project Cost and Financing Plan :
Total Estimated Cost : USD 2013 million.
ADB Funded – USD 1501 million
Government Of Bangladesh – USD 512 million
Contract Number :
PD/COX/WD1/LOT1 from Dohazari to Chakra Km (-) 2+000 to Km 50+400 including signalling and telecommunications for entire Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu section.
PD/COX/WD1/LOT2 from Chakaria to Cox’s Bazar via Ramu Km 50+400 to Km 101+477 including Cox’s Bazar Iconic Station Building.
Project Consists Of Total
Project Progress Status Till October 2024
DCRP Project At A Glance
Project Director Mohammad Mofizur Rahman brief in media with respect to Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project.
Team Leader Mr. Steven Pragnell examine the challenges of Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project in media.
Deputy Team Leader Md. A.N.M. Khasru discuss about long term Vision of Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project.
The objective of the Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project (DCRP) is to provide design review and construction supervision service for the construction of a single-track DG railway line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar. The design review scope includes a review of the feasibility study, detailed engineering design, drawing and tender documents prepared by the Design Consultant.
- Prayer Hall
- Night Room / Hotel Rooms
- Facilities for Disabled and Aged Persons
- Food Court
- Access Control Mechanism
- Separate Arrival and Departure Hall.
- Tourist Information Centre.
- Children Playground.
- Elephant Passages
The Consultant’s consortium partners have been working in the Railway sector of Bangladesh for a long period and possess a unique and vast experience in the railway construction supervision sector both in Bangladesh and in similar geographic and demographic locations around the world. This consortium’s lead SMEC delivers high-quality technical services worldwide for the lifecycle of a project including but not limited to field investigations; detailed design; construction supervision; commissioning, operation and maintenance; training; and project management and is consistently recognized amongst the world’s top engineering design firms for technical excellence, design innovation and risk management. CANARAIL and SYSTRA are the world-leading railway’s specialized consultants for over 60 years. All the firms are currently leading mega construction supervision projects in Bangladesh and in the subcontinent and will bring the best knowledge of international systems and approaches and unique knowledge and expertise. ACE is a leading transport consultant in Bangladesh, providing advanced solutions for transport infrastructure projects and seamlessly manages investigations, studies, design, construction and maintenance services of the railway infrastructures.
Development Design Consultants Limited (DDC), engaged as Project Management Consultant (PMC) under Contract No. PD/DHZ-COX/PMC dated 30 January 2019, has been working in the Railway Sector of Bangladesh for a long period and acquired vast and diversified experience in supervision of construction works in various projects. In addition to the construction supervision works, they have been employed as management consultants in other development works of various sectors in the country. As Management Support Consultants, they work directly under the control of the Project Director as an integral part of the Project Management Unit (PMU). They are providing support to PMU in respect of management, safeguard implementation, contract administration, technical support, quality control and monitoring support. The Panel of Experts of DDC have been conducting frequent site visits to monitor the actual vs. planned progress of the works and identify if any urgent issue to be addressed to expedite the implementation of the works.
We hope that the Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project will be ready for plying trains by 2023. However, the project would not be fully completed by then. Some works, including tree plantation and beautification, will await completion.
1. One of the challenges was the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. land acquisition turned out to be a bigger setback than the pandemic as it took a long time.
3. Out of the 100-kilometer project, some 15 kilometres went through the reserved forest area. It took a long period to get this forest land allotted.
4. There were more complications even after getting control over the land as cutting trees in reserved forest areas requires special permission.
5. Shifting electric poles and towers appeared as another barrier. There were many big poles and DCRP had to struggle to shift those.
6. Delivery of building supplies and equipment was delayed due to the lockdown.
There are arrangements to maintain the biodiversity in Dohazari Cox’s Bazar Railway Project and DCRP working in a very conscious manner. In an effort to keep elephant movement unhampered, we have constructed three underpasses and an overpass is under-construction. Initiatives are being taken so that the elephants do not have to approach the rail line area. The forest department planted trees there for elephant food. Besides, we have dug a water body there as the elephants like it.
All kinds of facilities are being incorporated into the Cox’s Bazar railway station. For example, there will be hotel, shopping mall, and conference centre. And this station will be equipped with facilities required for the younger generation. There will also be a locker system.
It will take around one and a half hours to travel the 100-kilometer stretch from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar. The journey from Chattogram to Dohazari currently takes one and a half hours. It means that a journey from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar will take around 3 hours in total.