Commercial rail operations via Padma Bridge begin 1 Nov

Highlights: 

• Last-minute work on the signalling system, loop lines, and station buildings of the Dhaka-Bhanga route is underway 
• Three trains — Sundarban Express, Benapole Express, and Madhumati Express — will operate on the new route from 1 Nov
• Dhaka-Bhanga proposed fare is Tk355 for the Shovon Chair and Tk679 for the AC Chair

Commercial rail operations on the Dhaka-Bhanga rail route via the Padma Bridge, which was inaugurated three weeks ago, will begin on 1 November.

Confirming this, Quamrul Ahsan, director general of the Bangladesh Railway, told The Business Standard, "Remaining works on the signalling system, loop lines, and station buildings are being rushed in preparation for commercial rail operations. The finalisation of the train schedule, recruitment of staff at new stations, and fare setting are also in the final stage."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the new railway line of about 88 km from Dhaka's Kamalapur to Faridpur's Bhanga on 10 October. 

Officials of the Operating Department of Bangladesh Railway said no new train is being allocated on this newly constructed line. 

The Sundarban Express and Benapole Express, which currently travel to Khulna and Benapole via the Bangabandhu Bridge, Kushtia's Poradah, and Jashore, will be re-routed to travel on the route via the Padma Bridge, they said.

In addition, the route of Madhumati Express, which currently runs from Rajshahi to Rajbari's Goalandghat, may be extended to Dhaka via the Padma Bridge. This would bring the total number of passenger trains running on the new line to three, according to Sardar Shahadat Ali, additional director general (Operations) of the Railway. 

The proposed fare — Tk25 per km on the Padma Bridge and Tk5 on the Gandaria-Keraniganj flyover — is slightly higher on the new line, despite the shorter distance, Shahadat Ali said, adding that discussions are underway to reduce the proposed fare.

Initially, trains will not stop at Gandaria, Mawa, Padma, Shibchar, and Bhanga stations, even though there are a total of eight stations in the Dhaka-Bhanga section of the Padma Bridge Rail Link project, said sources at the Ministry of Railways.

However, Project Director Afzal Hossain said that work is underway to launch at least one station, at Nimtala or Sreenagar, within 39 km of the Gandaria-Mawa section.

The project director said that the Railways Ministry sent a proposal to the Ministry of Public Administration a year and a half ago to recruit 1,680 new employees to manage all the stations of the entire project, but approval has not yet been received.

Stating that signalling work is pending at some stations and that loop lines and station furnishings still need to be completed, Afzal Hossain said all work will be finished before November.

Train fare

A review of the proposal sent by Bangladesh Railway to the Ministry of Railways reveals that the fare in Shovon Chair of the intercity train from Kamalapur to Bhanga is Tk355 and the fare in AC Chair is Tk679. The proposed train fare is much higher than the bus fare for the same route.

The distance of the new rail line from Dhaka to Khulna via Bhanga is 393.3 km but the fare will be charged to passengers for a distance of 670 km, according to the proposal. 

The proposed fare in the Shovon Chair on the Dhaka-Khulna route via Bhanga is Tk615 but the current Shovon Chair fare from Dhaka to Khulna via Bangabandhu Bridge over the Jamuna is Tk505. So Shovon Chair ticket fares on the new route will increase by about 22%. 

At the same time, the proposed fare in the AC Chair is Tk1,173 via the Padma Bridge, but the current fare via the Bangabandhu Bridge is Tk966.

The Railways Ministry wants to reduce the distance from Dhaka to Khulna by constructing another 88 km line from Bhanga to Jashore under the project. 

Officials said when the work on that part is completed, the rent for Khulna and Jashore will be reduced by Tk25 to Tk52.

Sardar Shahadat Ali, additional director general (Operations) of the Railway, said proposed fares will be verified and finalised before the commercial train operation begins.

According to the progress report (till 30 September) of the project, work on the Mawa-Bhanga section has progressed by about 97.50% and work on the Dhaka-Mawa section by 83%.

Bangladesh Railway DG Quamrul Ahsan told TBS that the remaining work is being completed quickly to make the rail line 100% ready for starting commercial operations on the first day of November.