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Financial Express :: Financial Newspaper of Bangladesh
CHITTAGONG, Feb 24: The Railway authority starts commuter train service in the country next month (March) with the commissioning of services on Dhaka-Narayangonj and Dhaka-Joydevpur routes.
The first consignment of two sets comprising six units of bogies has already arrived in Chittagong Port on Saturday night from China under an agreement signed with a Chinese company.
Senior officials in the Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway said 20 sets comprising 60 units of diesel electric multiple units (DEMU) have been purchased from Tangsang Railway Vehicle Co Ltd of China at a cost of Tk. 6.62 billion for commissioning commuter train in 10 routes of the country.
The authority is upbeat about introducing the transport of modern technology first ever in the country for which the Railway Ministry signed an agreement with the Chinese company in August 2011.
"Initially the commuter trains will operate on Dhaka-Narayangonj and Dhaka-Joydevpur railways by the end of March. Commuter trains on the rest eight routes will also be commissioned within June 2013 as per our plan," said Md Belal Uddin, chief operational superintendent of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.
He said that the railways in most of the sections except that in Chittagong city are fully ready for commuter trains.
"Although the bogies and engines have started to arrive, the supplier will also provide spare parts, drivers' training and demonstration. But prior to commissioning we require to get permission from the Government Instructor of Bangladesh Railways (GIBR)," Mr Belal said.
The project has been undertaken to facilitate quicker movement of the commuters and reduce traffic congestion on the roads in areas where the passengers' woes have mounted.
Other routes selected for commuter trains are Dhaka-Bhoirab-Dhaka, Chittagong-feni-Chittagong, Chittagong-Laksam-Chittagong, Laksam Noakhali-Laksam, Laksam-Chandpur-Laksam, Chittagong-Dohazari-Chittagong and Janali Hat-Saltgola-Fouzderhat in Chittagong city under East Zone and Lalmonirhat-Burimari-Lalmonirhat, Lalmonirhat-Bogra Lalmonirhat and Lalmonirhat-Dinajpur-Lalmonirhat under the West Zone.
In Chittagong the commuter train will shuttle on railways linking Janali Hat, Sholashahar, Jhautala, CGPY (Chittagong Port Yard), Saltgola Rail Crossing, Women's Polytechnic Institute, Fouzderhat, Pahartali and Chittagong Railway Station and back to Janali Hat on the same track.
Railway officials said rehabilitation and renovation works of the track in the city is yet to be completed. They are expecting to run the commuter train in the port city by next June.
Commuter train on the Chittagong-Dohazari branch line is also expected to be started within this calendar year. The passengers of southern region of Chittagong district have been suffering a lot for about 10 years as the service in the branch line remains suspended for a long time.
The commuter train is suitable to run in short distances not exceeding 100 km and will carry 300 passengers with 151 seating facility and 149 standing.
Each train will have driving power car, trailer car and driving trailer car which can also be separated. But the cars do not have toilet or canteen facilities. Sources said Railway authority initially objected to such trains without canteen facilities but the ministry had insisted on the procurement as these trains will help ease traffic congestion on the roads for the short range passengers.
Each set of the commuter train will have three passenger units and two engines in the front and in the rear and will run on electricity generated from diesel fuel in the engine.
CHITTAGONG, Feb 24: The Railway authority starts commuter train service in the country next month (March) with the commissioning of services on Dhaka-Narayangonj and Dhaka-Joydevpur routes.
The first consignment of two sets comprising six units of bogies has already arrived in Chittagong Port on Saturday night from China under an agreement signed with a Chinese company.
Senior officials in the Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway said 20 sets comprising 60 units of diesel electric multiple units (DEMU) have been purchased from Tangsang Railway Vehicle Co Ltd of China at a cost of Tk. 6.62 billion for commissioning commuter train in 10 routes of the country.
The authority is upbeat about introducing the transport of modern technology first ever in the country for which the Railway Ministry signed an agreement with the Chinese company in August 2011.
"Initially the commuter trains will operate on Dhaka-Narayangonj and Dhaka-Joydevpur railways by the end of March. Commuter trains on the rest eight routes will also be commissioned within June 2013 as per our plan," said Md Belal Uddin, chief operational superintendent of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.
He said that the railways in most of the sections except that in Chittagong city are fully ready for commuter trains.
"Although the bogies and engines have started to arrive, the supplier will also provide spare parts, drivers' training and demonstration. But prior to commissioning we require to get permission from the Government Instructor of Bangladesh Railways (GIBR)," Mr Belal said.
The project has been undertaken to facilitate quicker movement of the commuters and reduce traffic congestion on the roads in areas where the passengers' woes have mounted.
Other routes selected for commuter trains are Dhaka-Bhoirab-Dhaka, Chittagong-feni-Chittagong, Chittagong-Laksam-Chittagong, Laksam Noakhali-Laksam, Laksam-Chandpur-Laksam, Chittagong-Dohazari-Chittagong and Janali Hat-Saltgola-Fouzderhat in Chittagong city under East Zone and Lalmonirhat-Burimari-Lalmonirhat, Lalmonirhat-Bogra Lalmonirhat and Lalmonirhat-Dinajpur-Lalmonirhat under the West Zone.
In Chittagong the commuter train will shuttle on railways linking Janali Hat, Sholashahar, Jhautala, CGPY (Chittagong Port Yard), Saltgola Rail Crossing, Women's Polytechnic Institute, Fouzderhat, Pahartali and Chittagong Railway Station and back to Janali Hat on the same track.
Railway officials said rehabilitation and renovation works of the track in the city is yet to be completed. They are expecting to run the commuter train in the port city by next June.
Commuter train on the Chittagong-Dohazari branch line is also expected to be started within this calendar year. The passengers of southern region of Chittagong district have been suffering a lot for about 10 years as the service in the branch line remains suspended for a long time.
The commuter train is suitable to run in short distances not exceeding 100 km and will carry 300 passengers with 151 seating facility and 149 standing.
Each train will have driving power car, trailer car and driving trailer car which can also be separated. But the cars do not have toilet or canteen facilities. Sources said Railway authority initially objected to such trains without canteen facilities but the ministry had insisted on the procurement as these trains will help ease traffic congestion on the roads for the short range passengers.
Each set of the commuter train will have three passenger units and two engines in the front and in the rear and will run on electricity generated from diesel fuel in the engine.
