There is no end to people’s interest in Cox’s Bazar Railway. The main attraction is the country’s first iconic railway station. It is like a huge oyster. Pearls in the belly of oysters. Clear water is flowing around him. Meanwhile, the train is coming. The gleaming modern station is much like an airport in the developed world.
Three pairs of trains will run on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar new railway. These trains will reach Cox’s Bazar in 3 hours 20 minutes from Chittagong and 8 hours 10 minutes from Dhaka. Each train will have 18 coaches. It will run at a speed of 80 km per hour. However, various regions of the country including Sylhet will be connected with Cox’s Bazar. The train from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar is a new train. The two trains that will come and go from Chittagong will run with old coaches. Chief Operating Superintendent of Railway Eastern Region Md. Shahidul Islam informed this information.
On October 16, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan visited the renovation work of Kalurghat Bridge. At this time, the minister told reporters, ‘Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given time for the inauguration of the Cox’s Bazar railway line on November 12. For this purpose, the experimental train will run from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar on November 7.
Chief Operating Superintendent Shahidul Islam said, ‘Cox’s Bazar route is scheduled to be inaugurated on November 12. However, the train will run commercially from November 20 to 25. There are plans to run six pairs of trains from Dhaka and Chittagong on the Cox’s Bazar route. But that is not happening now due to engine and buggy crisis. will be increased gradually. Initially, two pairs of trains from Chittagong and one pair from Dhaka will travel to and from the tourist town of Cox’s Bazar. All three trains are intercity. However, the train leaving from Dhaka will stop at Chittagong station only. Tickets will be sold from Chittagong subject to availability of seats. The train will not stop at any other station. Go directly to Cox’s Bazar. Trains leaving from Chittagong will stop at a few stations midway.’ Sources of the Eastern Railway said that the train bound for Cox’s Bazar will leave Dhaka at 10:30 pm. It will reach Chittagong station at 3:40 PM. It will leave Chittagong station at 4 pm after 20 minutes and reach Cox’s Bazar at 6:40 am. It will leave Cox’s Bazar station for Dhaka again at 1 pm. It will reach Chittagong station at 3.40 pm. It will leave Chittagong at 4 pm and reach Dhaka at 9:50 pm. One of the trains departing from Chittagong will leave Chittagong station at 7 am and pick up passengers from Sholshahr, Janali Hat, Patia, Dohazari, Satkania, Chakaria, Dulhazara and Ramu stations. Then it will reach Cox’s Bazar at 10:20 am. Another train will depart from Chittagong station at 3.10 pm and will carry passengers from Sholshahr, Janali Hat, Patia, Dohazari, Satkania, Chakaria, Dulhazara and Ramu stations. Will reach Cox’s Bazar station at 6:30 pm.
Similarly, the first train from Cox’s Bazar to Chittagong will leave at 10:50 am. It will ply passengers from Ramu, Dulhazara, Chakaria, Satkania, Dohazari, Patia, Janali Hat, Sholashar stations. The train will reach Chittagong station at 2:15 PM. The second train will leave from Cox’s Bazar station for Chittagong at 7 pm. It will ply passengers from Ramu, Dulhazara, Chakaria, Satkania, Dohazari, Patia, Janali Hat, Sholashar stations. It will reach Chittagong station at 10:05 PM. Railway officials said that the train will not stop at all the stations initially. Construction of the stations will stop after completion. For this reason, the work of posting manpower in the stations has also started.
Tapas Kumar Das, Chief Mechanical Engineer of Railway Eastern Zone, said, ‘Due to the manpower and engine crisis, it is not clear how many trains can be run. The train that will run from Dhaka is new. It will have 18 compartments.’ Additional Project Director of Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Railway Project Muhammad Abul Kalam Chowdhury said, ‘The work of laying railway line from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar has been completed. Several patrols have also been made with the help of trolleys. The railway line is now fully operational. Project progress is 92 percent. Now the stations are working. The work of installing lights on the road is going on. The six-storey iconic railway station under construction in Cox’s Bazar has been completed. Ramu and Dulhazara stations are fully completed. The work of the remaining stations is also at the final stage. Construction of 39 major bridges, 242 culverts and 144 level crossings have been completed under the project. All stations will have computer based interlock signal system and digital telecommunication system.
Officials related to the project said that the project of 100 km railway line from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar is being implemented at a cost of Tk 18 thousand 34 crore 47 lakh. On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the meter gauge railway construction up to Dohazari-Ramu-Cox’s Bazar. Of this, 88 km from Dohazari to Ramu and 12 km from Ramu to Cox’s Bazar. The construction of dual gauge and single track railway project started in 2018, almost seven years after the inauguration by the Prime Minister. Initially, the project cost was estimated at 1 thousand 852 crores. Later, after revising the project proposal, the cost increased to 18 thousand 34 crore 47 lakh taka. It has been financed by Asian Bank and Bangladesh Government. It is included in the priority (fast track) scheme of the government. So far the progress of the project is 92 percent. Out of 100 km, 92 km of railway line has been completed.
News Source: Daily Naya Diganta
