Bangladesh Railway is scheduled to introduce a commuter train on the new Khulna-Benapole-Mongla route on June 1.
The Mongla Commuter train will be introduced by changing the route of another train.
On the Benapole-Mongla section, the minimum fare of the train has been fixed at Tk 20 and the highest fare has been fixed at Tk 85 while it will take three hours and 20 minutes to cross the section.
The train will take passengers from 10 stations.
After completion of all works of construction of the Khulna鈥揗ongla Port rail line project in March this year, the train service is going to be launched after two months.
The initiative to establish rail communications between Khulna and the Mongla port was undertaken 14 years ago.
The project under the Indian Line of Credit (LOC-I and LOC-III) saw several revisions following which its cost was increased and adjusted and its deadline was extended.
Bangladesh Railway鈥檚 general manager (west zone) Asim Kumar Talukder told 抖阴精品 on Wednesday that from June 1 the new commuter, Mongla Commuter, would run on the Khulna-Benapole-Mongla-Benapole-Khulna route.
This train will be introduced by changing the route of Betna Commuter, he said.
According to the railway, Betna Commuter currently runs on the Khulna-Benapole route.
From June 1, Betna Commuter will start from Khulna at 6:15am and after reaching Benapole at 8:30am it will start its journey as Mongla Commuter. Mongla Commuter train will start from Benapole at 9:15am and reach Mongla at 12:35pm.
The train then leave Monga at 1:00pm and after reaching Benapole at 4:30pm it will start its journey as Betna Commuter towards Khulna at 5:00pm.
Betna Commuter will reach Khulna at 7:30pm.
Mongla Commuter will take passengers from 10 stations 鈥� Benapole, Nabharan, Jhikargachha, Jashore, Singia, Noapara, Phultala, Mohammadnagar, Katakhali and Mongla.
All seats of the train will be of second class category.
The ticket fare on the Benapole-Mongla section has been fixed at Tk 85 and the weekly off-day has been fixed for Tuesday.
Railway, under the railways ministry, initiated the project in 2010 and was supposed to complete it in 2013.
After the third revision, the project cost decreased to Tk 4,225.71 crore with the Indian loan contributing Tk 2,914.34 crore and local sources contributing Tk 1,311.37 crore and the deadline was extended till June 2025.
Under the project, a total of 90.725 kilometres rail tracks, including 63.821 broad gauge tracks, 32 major and minor bridges and other infrastructures have already been constructed.
On March 31 this year, the project鈥檚 overall work was declared completed and from April 1 this year the project鈥檚 鈥榙efect liability period鈥� started.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the track on November 1, 2023.