Loading...

Construction works of Bangabandhu Railway Bridge to begin Sunday

| Updated: November 29, 2020 08:51:27


Construction works of Bangabandhu Railway Bridge to begin Sunday

Construction works of Bangabandhu Railway Bridge over the Jamuna River will formally begin on Sunday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to lay the foundation stone of the 4.8-km long double-line dual-gauge dedicated railway bridge through a virtual programme from Ganabhaban at 10:30 am on Sunday, reports BSS.

The government initiated a project involving Tk 97.34 billion to construct the bridge by 2025. After completion of the project, the bridge would be the largest dedicated rail bridge in the country.

Out of the total project cost, Tk 77.24 billion would come from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as project assistance and Taka 20.10 from the national exchequer of Bangladesh.

According to officials, the bridge would improve the capacity of Bangladesh Railway to operate more trains between the capital and western parts of the country. It would also help to reduce train delays, which are now common.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought funding from Japan for the project during her meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on May 25-28, 2014. Later, Sheikh Hasina also raised the issue when the Japanese Prime Minister visited Dhaka on September 6, 2014.

According to the project details, contractors concerned have already started preliminary works of the bridge while construction of the main construction will start on Sunday.

Establishment of construction yards and facility development for employers, engineers and contractors are progressing fast.

The main bridge will be constructed under two packages. Two separate agreements have already been signed with Obayashi-TOA-JFE, Japan and IHI-SMCC JV, Japan for the eastern and western part of civil works respectively.

As per the agreements, the authorities of Bangladesh handed over necessary lands to both contractors in July this year. A land-related dispute with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority for building a construction yard has already been settled.

The new bridge will be able to run trains at a speed of 120 kmph on broad gauge line and 100 kmph on meter gauge track. With the construction of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge, 88 trains will be able to run.

Share if you like

Filter By Topic