The construction of the iconic railway station at Chanderpara in Jhelongjha Union of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila is nearing completion.
The ‘trial’ of the train on the way to tourist city Cox’s Bazar is going to start in a couple of months, and the commercial journey will start within this year.
Meanwhile, the under-construction ‘Jhinukakriti’ railway station, three kilometers away from the beach, will also be launched. Tourists can hear the sound of the roaring of the sea and the sound of the train together.
Describing the Cox’s Bazar Station as ‘iconic’, the project officials say that this station is the biggest attraction of the railway under construction from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar in Chittagong. The entire Cox’s Bazar Station is being built on 29 acres of land. The area of the station building will be 1 lakh 87 thousand square feet.
The station is in Chanderpara of Jhelongha Union of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila. Recently visited the area, it was seen that the work of the main structure up to the fourth floor of the six-storey station building has already been completed. Apart from the station building, construction of 17 other buildings, which will be used for the railway’s operational and commercial activities, has also been completed.
The centrally air-conditioned station has different routes for entry and exit of passengers. There is a large parking space.
The Cox’s Bazar Station has been designed in such a way that when this railway opens, tourists can return from Cox’s Bazar without renting a hotel. About five hundred luggage storage space is being kept at the station. Tourists can pay rent and leave their goods there and return to the beach by train.
Additional director of the project Abul Kalam Chowdhury told bdnews24.com that this is going to be the only ‘iconic’ railway station in the country.
He said, “In this project of 18 thousand crore rupees, only 215 crore rupees have been spent to construct Cox’s Bazar railway station. 86 percent of the project has been completed, little work is left. I will try a trial run from Chittagong i.e. Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar between September 15 and 30.”
Kalam Chowdhury said that it takes about 11 hours to reach Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka by road It may take 6 and a half to 7 hours to reach Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka when the train starts.
“Even if we do a trial run in September, it will take another two-three months to go commercial. We will try to start trains on this railway within this year.”
In response to a question, he said that initially two pairs of trains will run. Later the number of trains will be increased.
“When the Purodme starts, the trains that come from Dhaka to Chittagong, the final destination of those trains will be Cox’s Bazar. Besides, a completely new train will be launched. However, the name of the train is yet to be decided.”
When asked how the fare would be, Kalam Chowdhury said, “Inter-city AC chair fare in Dhaka-Chittagong is like Tk 780 to Tk 800, here it may be up to Tk 1200.”
Railway officials said that the train will run at a speed of 100 km per hour from Chittagong. Special coaches will be purchased for this.
In 2010, the government took up the single line dual carriage track construction project from Dohazari to Ramu to Cox’s Bazar and from Ramu to Ghumdhum near Miami. The project, which will be completed in June next year, is costing more than 18 thousand 34 crore rupees.
Additional project director of the project Abul Kalam Chowdhury said that 100.831 km single line dual gauge track is being constructed from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar. 86 percent of this part has been completed. And 28.752 km railway is being constructed from Ramu to Ghumdhum. The progress of this segment is 28 percent.
Source: BD News 24.Com
