Bangladesh Railway is pressing on with a costly plan for introducing electric traction system along Narayanganj-Dhaka-Chattogram and Tongi-Joydevpur sections.
The final feasibility study report of a proposed project, presented on Sunday, estimated that the total project cost would be $781,794,583.
As per the dollar rate of Sunday, the amount will be about Tk 9,107 crore in Bangladesh currency.
The report was presented at a meeting held at Rail Bhaban in the capital.
The feasibility study was completed eight years after an initiative had been taken.聽 Earlier in 2016, the railway took an initiative to conduct a feasibility study for introducing electric traction (including overhead catenary and sub-stations) between Narayanganj-Dhaka-Chattogram and Tongi-Joydevpur section of Bangladesh Railway.
On July 16, 2023, the railway inked a contract with Ankara-based TUMAS Turkish Engineering, Consulting and Contracting Company to conduct the feasibility study and prepare a detailed design for the proposed project at a cost of $5,24,050 which was funded fully by the Bangladesh government.
The main objective of the study was to find out whether the traction would be technically, economically, financially, environmentally and socially viable.
The report found the proposed project beneficial to the country economically and to the railway financially.
The final feasibility study was done on 348.16 kilometres of tracks out of which 336.89 kilometres had been on railway line on the Narayanganj-Dhaka-Chattogram section and 11.27km on the Tongi-Joydevpur section.
The proposed project has scope to covert 348.16km-track with 70 stations to the electric traction system which is proposed to be completed by 2032 and the scheduled operation will start in 2033.
By using the system, there will be an increase in freight traffic and the huge rate of return on capital, decrease of pressure on the road transport, transport mobility with savings in fuel consumption, green transportation, decrease in running cost, improve average speed and achieve compatibility with Trans-Asian railway network.
Under the proposed project there will be two types of line, main and commuter, while the train speed will be 120km per hour which can be upgraded later, the project director Md Habibur Rahman told 抖阴精品 on Sunday.
For the commuter line, the capital cost estimation stood at $255,168,790 and for the main line the estimation stood at $526,625,793, said the report.
The report鈥檚 economical and financial analysis both for the main and commuter lines for passengers from road network and trains users will gain time with new system, the report added.
The study also proposed for two workshops鈥� one at Pahartali and another at Joydevpur.聽
Railway will finalise tendering works for phase 1 in 2026 and will start operating with electric fraction on 2028 (Commuter).
For phase 2, railway will finalise tendering works for phase 2 in 2030 and will start operating with electric traction on 2033 (Main Line).
The BR will finalise Phase 3A tendering works for 2026 and will add new rolling stock to inventory at 2028 (Commuter) and it will finalise Phase 3B tendering works for 2030 and will add new rolling stock to inventory in 2033 (Main Line).
Under the environmental considerations, there will be some limited negative effects in construction period such as catenary pole fountain digging, material transport emission and additional dust, it added.