The government has opened initiatives to operate high-speed electric trains between Dhaka and Chattoram allowing travellers to reach their destinations in under an hour, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan told the parliament.
“Initial construction to prepare the detailed design and a feasibility study for the project is ongoing. Overall progress of the project is at 21%,” he said during Monday’s question-and-answer session.
According to him, it would take 57 minutes to travel from Dhaka to Chittagong on the high-speed train.
The railways minister revealed plans to implement 230 projects at a cost of Tk 5.54 trillion by 2045, reports BSS.
“The government upgraded Bangladesh Railway Master Plan on January 29, 2018 under technical assistance project for Bangladesh Railway SASEC Rail Communication Investment Activities,” he said.
The projects will be implemented in six phases from July 2016 to June 2045, Sujan added.
Construction of the Dhaka-Chattagram high-speed railway line, subway on Dhaka-Tongi section, electric traction on Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur section, broad gauge railway line on Navaran-Satkhira-Munshiganj and railway connectivity between Mirsarai- Feni economic zone includes in the master plan.
Besides, the government would construct new broad gauge railway line on Jashore-Magura-Sripur Langalbandha-Pangsha, new broad gauge line on Payra- Kuakata, new broad gauge line on Dohazari-Bandarban, new broad gauge line on Hathazari-Rangamati, new broad gauge line on Nazirhat-Khagrachhari, new broad gauge line on Darshana to Damurhuda and Meherpur via Mujibnagar and new broad gauge line on Joydebpur-Dhamrai-Manikganj-Paturia, Sujan said.
The government would also introduce circle line of Dhaka city, railway line from Dhaka to Paturia via Manikganj, broad gauge line from gobra to Pirojpur and connect Bagerhat, bypass line at Bhairabbazar, connectivity with Jamalpur economic zone, railway line on Jalanihat station-CHUET-Kaptai in Chattagram, railway line on Bhanga-Barishal-Payra and railway connectivity with Sunamganj district under the future plan, he said.