Brahmanbaria: The Second Bhairab railway bridge over the Meghna River will be opened on Thursday.

Abdul Hye, project director of the bridge, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the rail bridge around 11:30 am on Thursday from Ganabhaban and New Delhi respectively through video conferencing.

The 984 metres double-track bridge will lessen travel time on different routes of eastern zone including Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Noakhali routes.

Now it will take 4 hours and 55 minutes time to travel between Dhaka and Chittagong, said the official.

Meanwhile, a test-run of the bridge was held on Friday ahead of its inaugural. Dhaka-bound intercity ‘Subarna Express’ train crossed the bridge around 11:30 am on Friday.

The Bangladesh Railway signed an agreement with Indian private companies IRCON International and AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd to construct the Second Bhairab railway bridge on September 10, 2013.

The project was implemented involving Tk 615 crore and six small bridges have also been constructed in Bhairab and Ashuganj along with the rail bridge.