China to build new railway line involving Padma Bridge
UNB
Dhaka: The government on Monday signed an agreement with a Chinese construction company, ‘China Railway Group Limited (CREC)’, to implement the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link Project’ undertaken for setting up improved railway connectivity between Dhaka and the southwestern part of the country.
Director General of the Bangladesh Railway (BR) Md Amzad Hossain and the Chinese company’s authorised representative Zhang Zuecai signed the contact on behalf of their respective sides at an event at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka.
Railways Minister Md Mazibul Hoque, Railways Secretary Md Feroz Salah Uddin, Chairman of the Chinese company Li Changjin and Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Ma Mingqiang were present at the contract signing ceremony.
According to the agreement, the company will complete the construction of 169-kilometre railway routes by June 30, 2022.
Of the contract value of Tk 27,652.57 crore, Tk 24,749.05 crore will come from Chinese government’s G2G funding, while the remaining Tk 2,903.52 crore from the fund of Bangladesh government.
A 169-km of new railway route will be constructed in four sections under the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link Project’. The four sections are 3km Dhaka-Gendaria route, 37-km Gendaria-Mawa, 42-km Mawa-Bhanga Junction-Bhanga via Padma Bridge and 87km Bhanga-Jessore.
Of these, the construction of the 3rd section ‘Mawa-Bhanga Junction-Bhanga via Padma Bridge’ will be completed with the completion of the Padma Bridge project by 2018.
But the construction of the remaining three sections will be completed by June 30, 2022.
The railway routes will link Dhaka with Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Narail, Faridpur, Gopalganj and Jessore.
Addressing the event, the Railways Minister said it is the biggest-ever project in the country’s railway sector. The project will have huge impacts on the economy of the country’s southwestern parts.
He said all the ongoing projects under the railways will be implemented under the tenure of the current government.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on May 3 last approved ‘Padma Bridge rail link’ project involving Tk 34,988.86 crore.
Of the total project cost, Tk10,239.81 crore will come from the national exchequer while Tk24,749.05 crore as project assistance from the Chinese government.