Cox’s Bazar is the largest beach in the country. The beach is constantly crowded with local and foreign tourists. But traveling to the beach is an endless problem on the main road. Narrow two-lane roads, excess of small vehicles, accidents happen, traffic jams waste time and money. But now these sufferings-crisis-problems are being solved. Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar railway line has been constructed.
Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar railway construction is almost at the final stage. 86 percent of project work is completed. About 85 km of railway line is visible. About one and a half thousand workers are working here every day. Now beautification and last minute work is going on. The train will run to Cox’s Bazar only after these works are completed. Next September, the railway will go to the seashore. Beach tourists will enjoy a comfortable ride.
There will be special ‘Refrigerated Wagon Service’ for transportation of goods. The work of the stations is also at the final stage. Initially a train will be from Dhaka. Two schedules are proposed. The country’s first iconic ‘luggage station’ has been constructed for domestic and foreign tourists. Domestic and foreign tourists will increase if the railway line is opened. New horizons of the tourism city will be revealed. If the project is implemented, Bangladesh will join the Trans Asian Railway Corridor along with Myanmar and China. This will be the government’s gift to the country before the National Assembly elections.
Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar-Ghumdhum Railway Project Director Engineer Md. Mofizur Rahman said that the overall work is progressing with the plan of railway movement in September. Now about one and a half thousand workers are working simultaneously in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar, Chakaria and Dohazari. Last minute beautification work is going on everywhere. He said, this is a priority project of the government. So the work is constantly going on with speed. Through this project, the image of the government will be bright abroad. Because it is related to tourists of Cox’s Bazar, one of the largest beaches in the world.
According to the project, The Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar railway line is being implemented at a cost of Tk 18 thousand 34 crore 48 lakh. On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of meter gauge railways up to Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar and Ramu-Ghumdhum. 88 km from Dohazari to Ramu and 12 km from Ramu to Cox’s Bazar is being constructed.
Under the project, the country’s first state-of-the-art iconic railway station in the shape of an oyster has been constructed at Cox’s Bazar. Through this, the country’s tourism sector will advance another step. The project, if implemented, will create a safe, comfortable, cost-effective transportation system for tourists and local people. Apart from this, fish, salt, paper raw materials are easy and cheap. Forest and agricultural products can be transported. At the same time, arrangements are being made for smooth movement of elephants and other wild animals in the construction of the project.
A 50 meter long overpass and three underpasses are being constructed for the movement of elephants on this railway. On the other hand, the railway will be connected to the 45th district of the country. Cox’s Bazar will be reached by rail in seven and a half hours from Dhaka and two and a half hours from Chittagong. About 1 lakh people can travel daily. Apart from this, there will be a special refrigerated wagon service for the transportation of various products including fish, salt, dried fruit from Cox’s Bazar to other parts of the country.
According to railway sources, Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar rail service will be officially inaugurated next September. Commercial trains will start after a few months. But coach, Due to engine and manpower shortage, initially one train will go from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. Rail will be added gradually. The rake composition of the new trains is being arranged with 147 meter gauge coaches imported from South Korea.
On the other hand, Railways has sent two timetables to Rail Bhawan for train services from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. According to the first preparation, Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar train number 1 will depart from Dhaka’s Kamalapur station at 8:15 pm for Cox’s Bazar and reach Cox’s Bazar iconic railway station at 5:30 am. On the way back, the train will leave Cox’s Bazar at 10 AM and reach Dhaka at 7:15 PM. In the second proposal, Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar train number 2 will leave Dhaka at 11:50 PM and reach Cox’s Bazar at 9:30 AM. On the way back, it will leave Cox’s Bazar at 12:45 PM and reach Dhaka at 10:00 PM.
It is known that the distance from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar is 150 km. Distance from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar is 100 km. At present there is a railway line up to Dohazari. For this reason, the railway is going to Cox’s Bazar from Dohazari through Ramu, passing forest-mountain-river. The construction of nine stations is almost complete. These are Dohazari, Satkania, Lohagra, Harbang, Chakria, Dullahazara, Islamabad, Ramu and Cox’s Bazar. These stations will have computer based interlock signal system and digital telecommunication system. Three big bridges will be constructed on Sangu, Matamuhuri and Bankkhali rivers.
Source: Bangladesh Protidin
